col 


MINNESOTA.  STATE  BOATED  OF 

IMMIGRATION. 
MINNESOTA 


rL 


MINNESOTA, 


HER 


AGRICULTURAL  RESOURCES, 
Commercial  Advantages, 


AND 


MANUFACTURING  CAPABILITIES. 


BEING    A 

CONCISE   'description    OF    THE    STATE 
OF  MINNESOTA,  AND  THE  INDUCE- 
MENTS SHE  OFFERS  TO  THOSE 
SEEKING    HOMES    IN    A 
NEW    COUNTRY 


PDBLISHEI)  BY  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF  IMMIBRATION. 


COPIES  SENT  FREE  A^D  POST-PAID  ON  APPLICATION  TO 
H.  H.  YOUNG,  SECIiETAKY,  ST.  PAUL,  MINN 


ST.  PAUL,  MINN. 

U.    M.    SMTTH  &   CO.,    PRIJfTEItS, 

lb79. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


SUBJECT.  rAOB. 

INTRODUCTION 3 

Location  and  Area 4 

GENERAL  FEATURES 5 

The  Soil — Climate  and  Temperature — Length  of  Seasons — 
Waters,  Supply  and  Quality — Esthetic  Features — Character 
of  the  People 6—8 

COMMERCIAL  FACILITIES 9 

A  Commercial  Thoroughfare — Railroads  in  the  State 11 

MANUFACTURING  CAPABILITIES 12 

Minnesota  Flour — Manufactures  of  Wood — Sugar  Making  and 
Refining — Clays,  Sand,  Lime,  Stone,  &c. — Newspapers  and 
Printing — Other  Manufactures 13—16 

AGRICULTURAL  RESOURCES 17 

Wheat,  its  Yield  and  Grade— The  Corn  Crop — The  Oat  Crop- 
Rye,  Barley  and  Buckwheat — Timothy,  Clover,  Flax  and 
Hemp — Wild  Grasses — Fruits  and  Berries — Bees  and  Honey 
— Garden  Vegetables  and  Melons — Maple  Syrup  and  Sugar — 
Tobacco — Amber  Cane — Forest  Tree  Culture,  Fuel — Stock 
Raising — Dairy  Farming — Sheep  and  Wool — Hogs — Horses 
—Beef,  Mutton  and  Pork— Fencing 17—25 

EDUCATIONAL 25 

MISCELLANEOUS 27 

Healthfulness— What  will  a  Home  Cost— Titles  to  Lands — 
Mechanics  and  Laborers — Fish  Culture — Improved  Lands — 
Catholic  Immigration — Postal  Facilities — Homestead  Ex- 
emption  27 — 3u 

UNOCCUPIED  LANDS 31 

Government  Lands — How  to  obtain  them — State  Lands 31 — 32 

RAILROAD  LANDS. 33 

St.  Paul  &  Sioux  City  Railroad — Southern  Minnesota  Railroad — 
Jesup,  James  and  Roosevelt  Lands — St.  Paul  &  Pacific  Rail- 
road— Other  Railroad  Lands 33 — 39 

CONCLUDING  REMARKS 39 


■v-# A 


li  '■ 


..  /  •' 


/  >■  /^ 


/v. 


A  -\! 


•^'  /   O   A 


^^^ 


:...->■ 


^^^^S^ 


'o      li''    ^' 


y    -■'    cum 


Kl 


o\0U 


rf*^-7^?l-  ^ 


li       v4._:te^=S51»a:^' „  ft  rv  \v  V         .i^-.j?        i  .     mt    ,.    .1  .  .  .  -v. 

/•^£  «  I  -   '--.j^'''-''   '=*'''™^^*'''^"  *'»*;S"1;''^  '     ■'       \'^-a"V 


S-SiSS 


r 


irOWNSHip  .\Nl»iK'.\II.K().\l)  MAP 


+i*xri-*M»AKn:>iMMi(.K' vnoN 

.  <^  - 

MINNE50TA5  CONTINENTAL  POSITION 


Svy*;;^^?^^ 


^^-^ 


\"       \ 


MINNESOTA, 


HER 


AGRICULTURAL  RESOURCES, 


Commercial  Advantages, 


AND 


MANUFACTURING    CAPABIilTIES. 


BEING    A 

CONCISE    DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    STATF 
OF  MINNESOTA,  AND  THE  INDUCE- 
MENTS SHE  OFFERS  TO  THOSE 
SEEKING    HOMES    IN    A 
NEW    COUNTRY. 


FUBLISHED    BY   THE 

STATE  BOARD  OF  IMMIGRATION  : 

Governor  John  S.  Pillsbuky,  President,    ...  St.  JPAiTii. 

(Secretary  of  State  J.  S.  Irgexs,  ...  St.  Paut>. 

State  Treasurer,  Wsi.  Pf^kdeh,       -  -  -  -  St.  Patjl. 

Clerk  of  Supreme  Court,  Samuel,  H.  Nichols,  -  St.  Paul. 

Dillon  O'Ukien,  Esq.,         .  .  .  .  .  gx.  Paul. 

«  Address  H.  H.  YOUNG,  Sea-etary  of  Board. 


•    ST.  FAUL,  ]\IINN. 

H.    M.    SMYTH   &   CO.,    PIUN'hsRa, 

IbTS). 


DEDICATION. 

'O  those  desiring  to  possess  homes  of  their  own  in  a  beautiful, 
healthy  and  prosperous  country,  to  business  men  contem- 
plating changes  of  location,  and  to  all  who  wish  to  earn  a  comforta- 
ble maintenance  for  tliemselves  and  families,  this  pamphlet  is 
respectfully  dedicated. 

Its  purpose  is  to  couve}^  a  knowledge  of  the  advantages  which 
the  State  of  Minnesota  possesses,  and  invite  all  who  would  escape 
the  exhausting  competition  and  hopeless  drudgery  of  the  over- 
crowded countries  of  Europe  and  the  eastern  portions  of  our  own 
continent,  or  the  debilitating  humid  southern  atmospheres,  to  cast 
their  lots  with  us  in  this  extensive  and  fertile  region,  and,  aiding 
in  its  development,  share  the  rewards  it  yields  so  abundantly  to 
intelligent  industry. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  following  pages  will  be  attentively  perus-.-d, 
and  the  invitation  which  is  here  given  accepted  by  many  of  those 
who  are  looking  to  the  West  for  prospective  homes. 


!3       h^a.S^ 


5         ^^  -^  ^^  citO^'^' 

01  fie^^' " 


MINNESOTA  IN  1879. 


INTRODUCTIOK 

The  State  of  Minnesota  offers  inducements  to  immigrants  which  camiot 
be  surpassed  ind  are  rarely  equalled  by  any  other  country  on  the  globe. 
These  comprise  excellence  of  climate,  soil  and  water  ;  agriculturai,  manu- 
facturing and  commercial  advantages,  and  educational  facilities  <  and,  ta 
addition  to  all  these,  cheap  lands  !  The  settler  who  comes  into  this  State 
now  has  not  to  undergo  privations  and  hardships  attendant  upon  pioneer- 
ing, nor  is  he  under  the  necessity  of  submitting  to  the  inconveniences  of 
frontier  life,,  for  there  is  practically  no  such  thing  as  frontier  in  the  State, 
except  in  the  pineries  of  the  extreme  north.  A  glance  at  the  accompany- 
ing map  will  show  that  it  is  difficult  to  locate  anywhere  (below  the  line  of 
the  Northern  Pacific  Railway)  at  the  distance  of  a  short  ciay's  journey  from 
a  ratlroad,  and  as  these  are  being  annually  extended  and  augmented  in 
numbers,  the  intervening  spaces  are  continually  narrowing,  or  being 
afforded  facilities  by  means  of  branches  extending  laterally  from  the  main 
lines.  Mills,  stores,  schools,  churches,  etc.,  are  met  with  aknost  every- 
wliere,  and  opportunities  for  social  intercourse  are  at  the  command  of  even 
those  in  the 'most  sparsely  settled  neighborhoods. 

Notwithstanding  this,  however,  there  is  slill  a  large  proportion  of  unoccu- 
pied land  in  all  parts  of  the  State,  except  in  the  older  counties  near  the 
Mississippi,  St.  Croix  and  Minnesota  rivers.  These  water-courses  were 
originally  the  only  channels  of  communication  between  Minnesota  and  tlie 
older  States,  and  the  early  settlements  were  formed  along  their  banks.  Since 
1862,  however,  the  building  of  rair\va}'s  has  been  prosecuted  with  mar- 
velous rapidity,  and  those  who  have  since  immigrated  hither  have  located 
along  their  lines  or  proposed  routes,  thus  leaving  the  intermediate  spaces 
unsettled,  although  the  lands  are  equally  good  and  often  more  desirable  for 
agricultural  purposes.  As  the  roads  were  extended,  the  same  course  waa 
pursued  by  the  newer  arrivals— the  government  lands  wi-thin  the  limits  oi 
railroad  grants  being  usually  preferred ;  until  to-day  the  State  is  belted 
with  settlements,  extending  from  east  to  west,  and  one  line  reaches  to  its 
extreme  north-west  corner.  These  lines  of  oecupation  become  narrower 
and  less  dense  as  tlwy  recede  from  the  east,  but  are,  for  the  most  part, 
sufficient  for  the  establishment  of  schools  and  societies  ;  and  stores,  where 
goods  are  sold  at  no  greater  advance  of  prices  than  the  cost  of  additional 


p  48903 


4  MINNESOTA    IN    1879. 

freight,  are  found  at  all  the  raihva}'  stations.  Here,  also,  the  farmer  finds 
a, ready  market  for  his  grain. 

The  small  squares  on  the  accompanying  map  represent  townships.  The 
lines  are  uniformly  six  miles  apart,  and  it  is  very  nearly  eight  and  a  half 
miles  diagonally  across  the  townships.  Guided  by  them,  it  is  easy  for 
the  reader  to  calculate  the  proximity  of  the  railways  to  any  locality  ^jet ween 
theit  lines.  This  season  the  several  extensions  indicated  by  dotted  lines 
on  the  map  will  be  finished,  and  probably  a  branoli  line  built  from  the  Wi- 
nona and  St.  Peter  road  at  Tracy  to  Sioux  Falls.  These  additions  will  leave 
Tery  few  places  in  the  State  destitute  of  all  the  railroad  facilities  they  re- 
quire at  present. 

The  design  of  this  chapter,  however,  is  merely  to  introduce  the  subject, 
leaving  the  several  atti-actions  of  the  State  to  be  especially  treated  und6r 
appropriate  headings,  but  it  is  not  out  of  place  to  add  here  that  the  utmost 
care  has  been  observed  throughout,  in  the  preparation  of  these  pages,  to 
avoid  exaggeration.  It  must  bo  borne  in  mind  that  this  pamphlet  is  not 
the  production  of  an  individual  or  company  interested  in  the  sale  of  laiids, 
but  a  publication  issued  b}'  authority  of  the  State,  after  careful  revision  by 
its  highest  oflacers.  While  its  object  is  to  set  forth  the  inducements  which 
Minnesota  offers  to  immigrants  and  invite  the  latter  to  settle  within  her 
borders,  those  having  charge  of  its  publication  fully  appreciate  that,  if 
mutual  benefits  are  to  flow  from  immigration,  new  settlers  must  not  be 
attracted  by  pepresentatiens  which  their  future  experience  will  not  verify. 
Should  they  be  deceived  they  may  become  dissatisfied,  and  results  may  fol- 
low alike  injurious  to  both  themselves  and  the  State.  For  this  rea&on  it 
has  been  deemed  of  utmost  moment  that  no  assertion  shall  find  a  place  in 
these  pages  unless  it  is  entirely  true. 

LOCA.TION  AND  AEEA. 

The  State  of  Minnesota  lies  between  forty-three  and  a  half  and  forty- 
nine  degrees  north  latitude,  and  extends  nearly  from  the  ninetieth  to  the 
ninety-seventh  meridian  of  longitude  west  of  Washington.  Its  length 
north  and  south  is  about  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles,  and  its 
mean  breadth  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  The^ map  which  is  at- 
tached shows  its  form.  Its  boundaries  enclose  an  area  of  83,530  square 
miles,  or  53,459,840  acres.  Of  this  expanse  50,759,840  acres  are  land  and, 
(without  including  that  pirt  of  Like  Superior  which  lies  within  its 
limits,)  2,7tXi,009  acres  are  water  surface.  An  idea  of  i^s  extent  may  best 
tee  formed,  perhaps,  by  comparing  it  with  other  countries;  for  instance,  it 
is  greater  than  the  united  areas  of  all  the  New  England  States  and  Mary- 
land; nearly  as  large  as  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  taken  together,  or  as  both 
North  and  South  Carolina,  or  Tennessee  and  Mississippi  combined.  The 
acreage  of  arable  land  already  surveyed  in  this  State,  (exclusive  of  the 
pine  and  mineral  regions,)  is  as  great  as  the  entire  area  of  Illinois. 

Compared  with  European  countries,  it  is  larger  than  the  entire  island  of 
Great  Britain,  and  has  more  than  two  and  a  half  times  the  area  of  Ireland. 
It  contains  about  two-thirds  as  many  square  miles  as  Prussia,  and  con- 
siderably more  than  the  entire  German  Empire  outside  of  that  kingdom.  It 


GENERAL    FEATURES.  5 

iS  about  half  the  size  of  Sweden,  nnl  two-thirds  as  extensive  as  Norway. 
The  idea  of  its  extent  may,  perhaps,  be  better  conveyed  to  some  minds 
by  remarliing  that  there  are  seventy-six  counties  in  the  State  now,  and 
that  one  of  these,  St.  Louis,  has  an  area  of  more  than  4',000,000  acres, 
three  others  exceed  3,000,'000  acres,  and  four  others  contain  more  than 
1,000,000.  A  number  of  others  have  over  500,000,  and  very  few  less  than 
300,000  acres.  Its  territory  is,  in  truth,  of  magniflceat  extent,  and  the 
term  "Empire  State  of  the  Northwest,"  sometimes  usetl  in  reference  to 
it,  ia  not  inaptly  applied. 


GENERAL  FEATURES. 


Lying  in  a  high  northern  latitude,  at  an  elevation  of  from  about  one 
thousand  to  eighteen  hundied  feet  above  tide  water,  and  too  remote  from 
the  great  oceans  to  be  perceptibly  affected  by  their  influence,  Minnesota 
may  jlistly  claim  to  possess  most  of  the  advantages  enjoyed  by  other 
countries,  while  exempted  frpm  many  of  their  unfirvorable  peculiarities. 
Though  by  no  means  mountainous,  she  has  many  of  the  characteristics  of 
such  regions,  and  with  myriads  of  lakes  scattered  over  her  territory,  is 
almost  free  from  swamps,  and  entirely  clear  of  their  usually  attendant 
miasms.  About  one-third  of  her  area  is  covered  with  timber,  yet  she 
deservedly  ranks  with  the  prairie  States  of  the  Union,  and  though  far  in- 
land vessels  may  load  at  her  ports,  on  Lake  Superior  and  the  Mississippi, 
and  convey  her  produce  to^all  parts  of  the  world  with  only  a  single  trans- 
fer of  cargo.  The  mighty  Mississippi,  with  its  source  in  Iter  extreme 
northern  districts,  while  serving  her  with  motive  power  for  innumerable 
mills  and  factories,  affords  her  meanwhile  the  full  benefit  of  its  entire 
navigable  channel  for  purposes  of  trans.poftation.  The  Red  River  of  the 
North  connects  her  with  the  immense  and  fertile  regions  of  Manitoba  and 
the  Asainiboine  and  Saskatchewan  v<alleys,  and  the  St.  Croix,  on  her  eastern 
border,  provides  tliat  portion  of  her  realm  with  a  water  outlet  for  its  pro- 
ducts. The  Minnesota  river  meanwhile  furnishes  a  navigal)le  water-way 
across  the  State  from  west  to  east  and,  with  the  upper  Mississippi,  gives 
interior  water  transportation  facilities  of  several  hundred  miles  in  extent. 
Besides  tliese  n£>tural  clvannels  of  communication,  her  territory  is  inter- 
sected witli  a  magnificent  network  of  railways,  which  are  being  rapidly 
increased  and  extended,  affording  to  all  parts  of  the  State  ample  and  con- 
stantly increasing  facilities  for  transportation  and  constituting,  by  their 
exteriv.r  connections,  means  of  speedy  communication  with  all  other  parts 
of  the  Union.  Every  portion  of  the  State  is  richly  endowed  with  water- 
power,  and  the  soil  in  each  locality  repays  abundantly  the  labors  of  tha 
agriculturist,  except  where  It  covers  inexhaustible  stores  of  mineral 
•wealth. 


6  MINNESOTA    IN    1 879. 

While  there  is  but  little  flat  land  in  the  State,  and  none  that  cannot  be 
readily  drained,  there  is  no  hilly  country  other  than  the  river  bluffs  and 
the  mineral  regions  north  of  Lake  Superior,  the  surface  being  everywhere 
undulating,  both  in  woodlands  and  prairie.  Indeed,  ht  seems  hardly  pos- 
sible that  a  region  can  be  formed  more  entirely  adapted  to  the  uses  and 
conveniences  of  civilized  mankind. 


THE  SOIL. 

Of  a  region  of  the  extent  of  Minnesota,  it  is  only  possible  to  treat  here 
of  the  several  features  ia  a  general  manner,  but  fortunately  there  is  a  re- 
markable uniformity  of  soil  throughout  the  Stat«,  inasmuch  as  it  is  nearly 
all  an  alluvial  deposit,  varying  in  depth  from  one  to  five  or  more  feet. 
The  exceptional  district  is  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  where 
the  land  is  broken  and  unfit  for  cultivation.  Generally 'this  deposit  rests 
directly  upon  a  stratum  of  clay,  and  everywhere  the  alluvion  is  mixed  with 
sand  in  sufiicient  quantities  to  hold  warmth  and  render  it  friable  and  it 
abounds  in  organic  matter.  To  the  general  reader  it  is  far  more  import- 
ant to  set  forth  the  results  of  its  cultivation  than  to  instruct  him  as  to  the 
elements  composing  it,  for  though  ke  may  be  familiar  with  the  properties 
and  value  of  all  its  constituents,  he  understands  tliat  there  are  conditions 
of  eombination'and  external  circumstances  under  the  influence  of  which 
it  must  be  placed  in  order  to  produce  desirable  results.  He  can  only  be 
assured  that  these  exist  by  knowing  what  the  soil  has  produced,  and  in- 
stead of  consuming  space  in  attempting  further  to  describe  its  peculiari- 
ties, we  refer  him  to  the  articles  upon  the  several  agricultural  products  of 
Minnesota,  which  appear  in  the  pages  that  follow. 

CLIMATE  AND    TEMPERATURE. 

The  climate  of  Minnesota  is  one  of  its  chief  glories,  and  experience 
only  confirms  whart  has  been  from  time  to  time  hitherto  spoken  and  writ- 
ten in  its  praise.  It  is  true  that  the  State  lies  in  a  high  northern  latitude, 
but  not  more  so  than  Maine  and  Canada  on  this  continent,  and  nearly  all 
of  Europe  in  the  old  world.  Christiania,  in  the  southern  part  of  Norway, 
is  in  latitude  sixty  degrees  north.  Stockholm,  Sweden,  in  fifty-nine,  and 
all  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  north  of  fifty.  The  German  Empire  is 
all  north  of  forty-six  degrees.  Were  latitude  alone  the  index  to  climate 
and  temperature,  Minnesota  would  compare  well  with  the  most  favored 
regions  of  the  earth,  but  other  causes  are  known  to  have  influence,  and 
the  isothermal  or  climatic  zones  of  the  earth  are  curved  irregularly  be- 
cause of  peculiarities  in  the  conformation  of  its  surface. 

The  isothermal  zone  in  which  Minnesota  is  embraced  is  the  same  as  that 
of  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania,  an^  so  far  as  temperature  is  concerned,  the 
climates  of  these  States  are  somewhat  similar.  But  it  ought  only  to  be 
required  to  show  that  the  cold  here  does  not  prevent  the  growth,  full  de- 
velopment, and  profitable  yielding  of  cultivated  vegetation,  and  that  it 
can  be  endured  by  men  and  domestic  animals  with  n©  greater  inconve- 
nience or  discomfort  than  it  occaaioos,  during  the  winter  seasons,  in  most 


GENERAL    FEATURES.  7 

countries  of  the  north  temperate  zone  lying  abeve  thirty-eight  degrees  ol 
latitude  on  this  continent,  and  forty-four  in  Europe.  The  magnificent 
crops  of  wheat,  corn,  oats,  fruits,  vegetables,  etc.,  which  are  annually 
grown  in  this  State,  and  their  wide  extended  repntation  for  superior  qual- 
ity, are  surely  sufficient  to  demonstrate  beyond  question  that  the  temper- 
ature is  not  detrimental  to  agricultural  success,  and  the  united  testimony 
of  its  nearly  800,000  inhabitants  ought  to  prove  that  they  experience  no 
excessive  discomfort  because  of  the  cold. 

If  further  evidence  is  required,  the  invalids  who  flock  here  annually 
from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  may  be  referred  to.  These  refugees 
from  death  by  lingering  diseases  contracted  in  the  humid  climates  of  more 
southerly  localities,  find  in  the  pure,  dry  atmosphere  of  jMinnesota  a  pan- 
acea for  the  ills  they  suffer;  and,  if  the  vitality  of  their  systems  is  not 
too  completely  exhausted,  they  usually  recover  health  upon  a  few  years 
residence  in  this  State.  One  who  has  had  such  experiences  cares  little 
whether  the  mercury  mounts  above  or  sinks  below  zero.  Hfe  knows  that 
he  can  keep  himself  comfortable  with  the  clothing  he  has  been  accus- 
tomed to  wearing,  and  that  he  is  free  from  that  sense  of  numbness  and 
shivering  which  often  caused  him  so  much  suffering  while  in  his  former 
home;  that  the  blood  courses  healthfully  through  his  veins,  diffusing 
warmth  and  life  and  filling  him  with  buoyant  energy  to  which  he  had 
long  been  a  stranger. 

The  air  here  is  too  attenuated  to  float  the  noxious  gases  so  injurious  to 
health,  and  being  always  in  motion,  is  purified  by  constant  circulation. 
Both  mankind  and  animals  are  benefitted  by  living  in  it,  and  the  lov 
annual  mean  temperature  of  the  climate  is  due  rather  to  its  uniformly 
pool  summer  nights  than  to  excessive  degrees  of  cold  in  winter.  And  it  is 
largely  owing  to  the  coolness  of  the  nights  during  the  warm  term  that  it  ii 
80  beneficial  to  invalids,  for  they  are  thereby  able  to  obtain  refreshing 
deep,  a  blessing  which  is  denied  them  in  hot,  suffocating  southerly  regions. 
No  one  need  fear  the  cold  of  Minnesota  who  can  endure  that  of  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania,  for  the  mercury  sinks  at  times  nearly  as  low  there  as  it  doe# 
here,  while  here  the  system  is  in  a  much  better  condition  to  endure  the 
cold. 

LENGTH  OF  SEASONS. 

There  is  no  appreciable  difference  between  this  country  and  the  middle 

States  of  the  Union  generally  in  the  length  of  the  seasons.  Spring  com- 
mences about  the  close  of  March  or  early  in  April,  and  planting  is  done  but 
little  later  than  in  Ohio.  Harvest  usually  commences  in  July  and  is  contin- 
ued into  August.  The  early  autumnal  frosts  make  their  appearance  about 
the  first  of  October,  but  it  is  fn  this  month  that  India^n  summer  begins, 
and  it  frequently  lasts  from  four  to  six  weeks.  This  is  the  most  delightful 
of  all  seasons.  The  air  is  cool  and  balmy,  and  all  nature  wears  a  peculiar 
aspect  of  caVmriess  arid  rest,  which  is  mr st  d-lightful  to  the  senses.  The 
advent  of  wintry  weather,  until  which  time  fall  plowing  may  be  con- 
tinued, takes  place  about  tlie  twentieth  of  November  usually,  and  the 
farmer  has  ample  time  to  prepare  his  ground  for  early  seeding  in  the 
Bpring.     After  this  the  cold  increases  gnukiaUy  iu  severity  uniil  winter 


8  MINNESOTA    IN    1 879. 

jeally  sets  in  about  the  middle  of  December.  It  is  not  the  ci^e,  either, 
that  winter  is  constantly  cold,  for  there  are  warm  intervals  throughout  its 
continuance,  noticeably  so  between  the  middle  of  January  and  the  middle 
of  February. 

WATERS— SUPPLY  AND    QUALITY. 

In  the  surveyed  area  of  the  State  there  are  upwards  of  5,000  kkes. 
Their  average  extent  is  about  three  hundred  acres,  but  a  number  of  them 
exceed  10,000  and  two  or  three  cover  respectively  about  100,000  acres. 
Many  of  them  are  very  deep,  and  most  are  filled  with  fish.  Ordinarily 
their  shores  are  dry  and  firm  down  to  the  waters'  edge,  except  at  their  out- 
lets, and  the  waters  clear,  cool  and  pure.  The  bottoms  are  commonly 
sandy  or  pebbly. 

The  existence  of  these  lakes  is  necessarily  attended  with  that  of  a  mul- 
titude of  streams,  varying  in  size  from  the  tiny  rivulet  fed  by  a  single 
spring  to  the  majestic  Mississippi.  Besides  this  bountiful  surface  supply 
of  one  of  mankind's  prime  necessities,  good  water  is  easily  reached  by 
digging,  in  every  part  of  the  State. 

Inasmuch  as  the  reader  has  access  to  the  map,  and  can  form  a  tolerably 
correct  idea  of  the  size  of  the  larger  lakes  and  of  the  length  of  the 
streams  by  the  aid  of  the  township  lines,  it  appears  hardly  worth  while  to 
delay  here  for  the  purpose  of  particularizing,  but,  as  a  further  help,  it  may 
not  be  uninteresting  to  remark  that  Lake  Minnetonka  contains  16,000 
acres;  Lake  Winnebagoshish,  56,000  acres;  Leech  Lake,  114,000  acres;  and 
Mille  Lacs,  130,000  acres.  Red  Lake,  which  is  much  larger  than  any  other 
in  the  State,  has  not  yet  been  surveyed.  The  Mississippi,  Minnesota,  St. 
Croix  and  Red  Rivers  are  large  navigable  streams;  and  the  St.  Louis,  Big 
Fork,  Red  Lake,  Wild  Rice,  Buffalo,  Pomme  de  Terre,  Chippewa,  Lac 
qui  Parle,  Rock,  Yellow  Medicine,  Cottonwood,  Des  Moines,  Blue  Earth, 
Root,  Zumbro,  Cannon,  Rum,  Snake,  Crow  Wing,  Crow,  Kettle  and  sev- 
ei-al  others,  are  streams  of  considerable  size  during  even  their  low  water 
periods;  wliile  a  thousand,  more  or  less,  of  others  are  of  sufficient  size  to 
make  them  worthy  of  note  in  a  less  favored  country. 

• 

ESTHETIC  FEATURES. 

Minnesota  affords  unparalleled  opportunities  for  building  homes  amid 
beautiful  scenery,  and  such  considerations  are  certainly  worthy  the  atten- 
tion of  the  immigrant.  They  contribute  largely  to  the  gratification  of 
himself  and  family,  and  greatly  enhance  the  value  of  his  farm  if  he 
should  desire  to  sell  it.  It  is  far  more  difficult  to  find  locations  in  the 
State,  liowever,  that  are  destitute  of  beautiful  surroundings  than  it  is  to 
secure  those  which  possess  them  in  an  uncommon  degree.  The  undulating 
prairies,  dotted  with  lakes  and  groves  and  traversed  by  murmuring  streams; 
the  park-like  oak  openings,  with  rolling  surface  and  sunny  sheets  of 
water  shining  in  the  distance ;  the  woodlands  and  pineries,  river  bluSs, 
and  even  the  rugged  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  all  have  their  aesthetic 
attractions,  the  preference  for  which  must  depend  upon  the  tastes  of  the 
beholder.     Song  birds  of  several  varrieties  are  numerous,  and,  in  the  propei 


COMMERCIAL.  9 

seasons,  the  air  is  filled  with  the  melody  of  their  matin  and  vesper  warb- 
lings.  The  senses  of  sight,  smell  and  hearing  are  constantly  delighted, 
and  the  benign  influence  which  these  charms  of  nature  exert  is  manifested 
in  the  sentiments  and  conduct  of  people  dwelfing  continually  subject  to 
their  inspirations.  From  any  given  point,  a  ride  of  a  few  miles  will  con- 
vey an  excursion,  fishing  or  pic-nic  party  to  a  delightful  lake,  or  grove,  or 
stream,  for  these  opportunities  of  enjoyment  abound  everywhere. 

But  it  is  in  winter  that  Minnesota  ministers  most  graciously  to  the 
aesthetic  inclinations  of  mankind.  Nothing  can  be  more  enchantingly 
beautiful  than  many  of  her  winter  days.  It  is  at  this  season  of  the  year 
that  her  atmospheric  phenomena  affe  most  magnificent.  No  pen  or  pencil 
can  portray  the  gfandeur  of  her  sunrises,  and  the  mind  can  only  appreci- 
ate by  observation  the  brilliancy  of  her  auroras.  It  is  at  tliis  season  that 
her  skies  are  bluest  and  gemmed  at  night  with  the  brightest  stars,  and  the 
pure  bracing  air  fits  one  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  beauty  surrounding  him. 

CHARACTER  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 

The  adult  population  is  mostly  made  up  of  native-born  citizens  of  other 
States,  with  a  large  per  centage  of  immigrants  from  Germany,  Sweden, 
Nbrway,  Ireland,  England,  Scotland  and  Canada,  and  fewer  numbers  of 
Welsh,  Poles,  Bohemians,  Russians  and  French.  These  readily  afiiliate 
with  each  other  on  acquiring  the  English  language,  and  prejudices  of  race 
and  nationality  are  soon  overcome  by  association.  The  tone  of  public 
sentiment  is  eminently  moral,  and  a  high  average  degree  of  intelligence 
prevails.  The  importance  of  educating  the  young  is  appreciated  by  all 
classes  of  citizens,  and  schools  are  well  attended  and  sustained.  All  the 
Christian  sects  of  religion  are  represented,  and  the  clergy  of  the  State  are 
usually  highly  educated,  liberal-minded  and  conscientious.  Taken  alto- 
gether, there  is  hardly  a  neighborhood  in  the  State  th-it  does  not  afford 
agreeable  social  advantages,  and  strangers  are  welcomed  with  generous 
hospitality. 


COMMERCIAL. 


The  railroads  marked  on  the  accompanying  map  show,  better  than  lan- 
guage can  tell,  how  near  every  neighborhood  in  the  State  is  to  these  lines 
of  transportation.  South  of  the  Northern  P.ircific  road  there  are  now  but 
four  localities  where  the  distance  is  more  than  twenty-five  miles,  and  the 
extensions  proposed  to  be  constructed  this  season  will  leave  but  one. 
These  improvements  will,  no  doubt,  continue  to  keep  puce  with  the 
future  development  of  the  country.  Nor  are  they  confined  to  the  interior 
of  the  State,  but  in  all  directions  beyond  its  borders  connect  with  lines 


lO  MINNESOTA    IN    1 879. 

crossing  other  States  and  Territories  and  constitute  our  local  roads  parts  ol 
a  great  national  system,  thus  giving  the  producers  of  Minnesota  whatever 
benefits  are  to  be  derived  from  having  ready  access  to  competitive  inter- 
mediate and  terminal  markets. 

First,  our  own  Lake  Superior  port  of  Duluth  is  reached  by  the  St.  Paul 
and  Duluth  road,  connecting  at  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  with  lines  tra- 
versing the  entire  southern  and  western  portions  of  the  State  ;  also  from 
St.  Paul  and  the  central  parts  of  the  State  by  the  branch  line  of  the  St. 
Paul  and  Pacific,  which  forms  a  junction,  through  the  Minnesota  West- 
ern, with  the  Northern  Pacific  at  Brainerd  in  Crow  Wing  county ;  and, 
again,  from  the  western  section  of  the  State  by  the  Northern  Pacific  road. 
Leading  to  Milwaukee  and  Chicago  are  the  West  Wisconsin,  two  lines  of 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul,  and  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  ; 
the  Southern  Minnesota,  likewise,  has  communication  with  those  cities, 
and  the  Green  Bay  and  Winona  road  affords  a  route  to  the  third  Lake 
Michigan  port.  The  Minneapolis  and  St.  Louis  Railroad,  crossing  all  the 
intermediate  east  and  west  lines  running  through  the  country  between 
Minneapolis  and  ^i.  Paul  and  its  southern  terminus,  brings  these 
cities  in  close  commercial  relationship  with  that  entire  fertile  region  ; 
by  the  St.  Paul  and  Sioux  City  and  its  connections  with  the  Union  Pa- 
cific we  have  a  direct  thoroughfare  to  the  Pacific  Coast ;  and  the  St.  Vin- 
cent Extension  up  the  Red  River  is  part  of  a  continuous  line  to  Winnipeg 
in  Manitoba.  In  short,  there  are  few  places  in  the  State  from  which  a 
person  cannot  start  by  the  most  direct  route  to  travel  to  any  part  of  the 
"United  States  or  Canada. 

Only  a  few  years  will  probably  elapse  before  the  Northern  Pacific  Rail- 
road, which  already  affords  us  commercial  intercourse  with  the  mining 
districts  of  Montana,  will  be  completed  to  the  Pacific  coast  in  Washing- 
ton territory  ;  and  as  the  British  American  road  progresses  from  Thunder 
bay  on  Lake  Superior,  by  the  way  of  Winnipeg  and  the  SaskatchevAin  val- 
ley, to  British  Columbia,  it  will  no  doubt  be  tapped  by  a  line  connecting 
it  directly  with  Dulritli,  to  construct  which  a  company  is  already  formed, 
and  the  St.  Vincent  E'xtensbion  of  the  St.  Paul  and  Pacific  branch  line, 
together  with  the  Winnipeg  road  already  built,  will  connect  it  directly 
with  St.  Paul  and  Mnneapolis. 

The  deepening  of  the  rivers  and  straits  between  the  great  lakes,  now 
only  navigable  for  vessels  drawing  twelve  feet,  will  soon  be  sufficient  to 
render  the  ports  of  Minnesota  on  Lake  Superior  accessible  to  large  sea- 
going vessels ;  and  the  improvement  of  the  channel  of  the  Mississippi, 
in  course  of  prosecution  by  the  general  government,  will  ere  long  make 
its  navigation  to  St.  Paul  practicable  for  large  class  steamboats  during  the 
entire  season. 

With  all  these  advantages  of  external  communication,  and  with  her 
already  immense  interior  facilities  of  transportation  by  land  and  water, 
Minnesota  ought,  and  it  would  seem  must,  place  herself  in  the  first  rank 
anom-st  the  commeicial  Stales  of  the  Union  within  a  very  few  years. 


COMMERCIAL.  II 


A  COMMERCIAL  THOROUGHFARE. 

The  exterior  transportation  facilities  described  in  the  foregoing  ariicl© 
■will  do  more  than  afford  outlets  for  the  products  of  Minnesota.  By  their 
means,  in  conjunction  with  lines  traversing  other  States,  she  will  become 
a  general  thoroughfare  of  cemmerce  and  trarel.  In  winter,  whatever 
transportation  flows  eastward  from  the  western  portions  of  Britsih  Amer- 
ica, or  by  way  of  the  Northern  Pacilie  Railroad,  including  through  freight 
and  travel  from  China  and  Japan,  will  be  diverted  from  its  direct  course, 
in  consequence  of  the  suspension  of  lake  navigation,  and  seek  the  con- 
tinuation oT  its  journey  by  railroad  lines  running  from  St.  Paul  eastward. 
And  in  summer  seasons  much  of  the  travel  eastward  by  the  Union  Pacific 
and  its  auxiliary  lines,  will  bead  northward  through  Minneosta  to  enjoy 
the  hixury  of  water  transportation  from  Duluth.  All  this  passing  freight 
and  travel  will  augment  the  commercial  importance  of  this  State,  and 
many  of  the  thousands  of  tourists  who  annually  pass  over  the  great  thor- 
oughfares of  the  country,  attracted  by  the  delightful  climate,  beautiful 
Bcenery  and  excellent  opportunities  for  hunting  and  fishing,  will  stop 
here  for  recreation.  Thus  the  peculiarities  of  the  situation  of  the  State 
will  not  only  tend  to  add  to  her  commerce,  but  indirectly  contribute  to 
enhance  the  prices  of  her  products  generally  in  her  home  markets  and 
increase  the  value  of  her  real  estate. 

RAILROADS  IN  THE  STATE. 

In  describing  the  commercial  facilities  enough  has  been  said  to  give  an 
intelligent  idea  of  the  capacities  for  transportation  which  the  present 
railroads  of  Minnesota  afford,  but  it  may  n®t  be  amiss  to  speak  briefly  of 
their  building  and  of  the  new  roads  and  extensions  already  in  contem- 
plation. The  first  road  in  the  State  was  built  in  1862.  It  was  only  ten 
miles  long.  A  mere  irntial  step.  From  that  time  on  the  work  ha's  pro- 
gressed rapidlj',  except  during  the  four  years  of  general  business  depres- 
sion from  1873  to  1876  inclusive.  In  short,  nearly  the  entire  railway 
system  of  the  State,  having  a  total  length  of  2,608  miles,  is  the  work  of 
twelve  years,  and  the  question  suggests  itself  :  with  the  increased  oppor- 
tunities now  afforded  for  transporting  ties  and  rails,  what  time  will  be 
required  to  build  the  new  roads  already  projected  ?  These  are  :  exten- 
sions of  the  Southern  Minnesota  from  Jackson  to  the  State  line  in  Lin- 
coln county,  of  the  Hastings  and  Dakota  from  Montevideo  to  the  head  of 
Big  Stone  Lake,  of  the  St.  Vincent  Extension  of  the  Branch  Line  of  the 
St.  Paul  and  Pacific  to  connect  at  or  near  Barnesville  with  that  part  of  the 
line  already  built  from  Breckenridge  to  St.  Vincent.  New  roads  are  pro- 
posed as  follows  :  from  Fergus  Falls  iu  Otter  Tail  county,  to  tap  the 
Northern  Pacific  at  Verndale,  in  Wa'lcna  county  ;  from  Anoka  to  Spencer 
Brook  in  Isanti  county,  to  be  continued  ultimately  to  the  line  of  the 
Northern  Pacific ;  from  Red  Wing  in  Goodhue  county  to  Faribault ;  from 
the  line  of  the  Winona  and  St.  Peter  at  Tracj'  to  Sioux  Falls,  in  Dakota  ( 
a  branch  of  the  Sioux  City  road  from  Lake  Crystal  to  Blue  Earth  City  in 
Faribault  county;  and  a  branch  of  the  St.  Paul  and  Duluth  from  Whit« 


12  MINNESOTA    IN    1 879. 

Bear  Lake  to  Taylor's  Falls  in  Chisago  county.  All  of  these  will  probably 
be  built  this  season,  and  there  are,  besides,  a  number  of  other  roads  pro- 
jected, the  routes,  etc.,  of  which  are  less  definitely  determined  upon. 

It  is  proper  to  add  here  tkat  a  number  of  these  railroad  companies  still 
have  considerable  bodies  of  unoccupied  lands  to  sell.  The  terms  are  ex- 
ceedingly liberal  in  every  instance,  and  great  credit  is  due  the  companies 
for  the  earnest  efforts  they  are  putting  forth  to  attract  immigration.  They 
not  only  sell  their  lands  on  advantageous  terms,  but  transport  all  those 
who  go  to  view  the  lands  and  such  as  are  immigrating  to  settle  upon  them 
at  cheap  rates  of  fare  for  themselves  and  of  freight  for  the  carrying  of 
their  effects.  They,  likewise,  operate  their  roads,  both  in  conveying 
supplies  to  and  shipping  produce  from  the  remote  counties,  so  as  best  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  settlers  in  those  regions,  providiag  them 
with  every  facility  enjoyed  by  the  more  densely  populated  jjortlons  of  the 
State,  at  less  than  proportionate  cost  for  transportation. 


MANUFACTURING. 


No  State  in  the  Union  is  richer  than  Minnesota  in  capabilities  of  man- 
ufacturing. At  Minneapolis,  the  St.  Anthony  falls  of  the  Mississippi 
river  affords  a  water  power  of  magnificent  available  capacity.  It  is 
alreatly  utilized  by  nineteen  flouring  mills  with  an  aggregate  of  220  run 
of  stone  and  capacity  for  the  manufacture  of  about  1,650,000  bbls.  of 
flour  per  year;  by  twenty  saw  and  shingle  mills,  with  eighteen  gang, 
twenty- five  double  circular  and  a  number  of  smaller  saws  ;  and  by  man- 
ufactories of  cotton  and  wool,  farm  machinery,  etc.  The  St.  Croix  river, 
above  Stillwater,  in  Washington  county,  and  especially  in  the  vicinity  of 
Taylor'!}  Falls,  in  Cliisago  county,  affords  a  series  of  superb  water  powers, 
in  the  aggregate  equalling,  if  not  surpassing,  that  of  St.  Anthony  Falls. 
These  are  partial)}'  improved  now  in  running  flouring  and  saw-mills  and 
other  macJiinery,  and  with  the  rapidly  increasing  railroad  facilities  which 
are  being  ifforded  th*t  section  of  the  State,  and  the  constant  large  addi- 
tions made  to  its  population  annually,  they  will  no  doubt  be  much  more 
extensively  employed  in  the  (virjy  future.  At  Fergus  Falls,  on  Red  River, 
is  another  extraordinary  power,  computed  to  be  equal  to  over  20,000  horse- 
power, all  of  which  can  be  easily  and  che.tply  made  available.  It  is  not 
yet  improved  to  any  considerable  extent,  but  will  be  during  the  current 
season.  A  good  deal  of  flour  is  already  manufactured  there  for  home 
consumption  and  to  supply  the  Manitoba  market. 

At  Granite  Falls  on  the  upper  Minnesota  river,  in  Yellow  Medicine 
county,  is  still  another  of  over  twelve  thousand  horse-power  capacity, 
improved  partially,  there  being  two  flouring  mills  in  operation  there. 
Another  power  of  extraordinary  capacity,  and  easily  and  entirely  made 


MANUFACTURING.  I3 

available,  is  found  on  the  St.  Louis  river,  near  Thomson,  in  Carlton  county. 
This  is  about  to  be  improved  somewhat  extensively  for  sawing  lumber, 
as  it  is  adjacent  to  an  extensive  pine  region. 

Three  of  the  above,  viz.:  that  at  Minneapolis,  thrit  on  the  St.  Croix,  and 
that  on  the  St.  Louis  river,  justly  deserve  to  be  called  gigantic  powers, 
while  the  others  already  mentioned,  and  one  at  Sauk  Rapids  in  Stearns 
county,  another  on  the  Cottonwood  in  Brown  county,  and,  perhaps,  a 
dozen  more  in  as  many  different  localities,  are  very  extensive  and  valuable 
powers.  Most  of  these  are  wholly  unimproved,  and  probably  the  full 
capacity  of  none  is  j'Ct  made  available.  Houston  county  has  a  fine  power 
on  Root  river  of  very  considerable  capacity,  and  there  are  several  others 
on  that  stream  in  that  and  Fillmore  counties.  On  the  Zumbro  river  there 
are  four  or  five  extensive  powers,  and  on  the  Cannon  some  eight  or  ten 
Indeed,  there  are  several  hundred  streams  scattered  all  over  the  State 
which  afford  four  or  five  times  the  water  power  needed  for  the  districts 
adjacent  to  them.  On  looking  over  the  Statistical  Report  for  1878,  it  is 
found  that  sixty-three  counties  reported  452  flour  mills.  These  probably 
manufacture  about  5,500,000  barrels  per  year.  All  but  about  500,000  bar- 
rels of  this,  which  is  the  product  of  steam  mills,  is  the  result  of  the 
water-power  of  the  State  now  improved,  and  besides  this  there  is  an 
immense  manufacture  of  lumber  accomplished  by  the  same  agency,  and 
a  good  many  other  factories  derive  their  motion  from  this  source ;  yet 
hardl}'-  one-twentieth  of  the  capacity  of  the  water-power  of  the  State  is 
yet  made  available.  Every  county  in  the  State  it  is  believed  has  more  or 
less  available  water-power  within  its  borders. 

This  widely  diffused  and  immense  mechanical  force  gives  ample  oppor- 
tunity for  Minnesota  to  send  all  the  products  of  her  fields,  flocks,  forests 
and  mines  to  market  in  their  prepared  conditions,  thereby  avoiding  ex- 
pense of  transportation  on  the  refuse  portions,  saving  for  her  own  use 
those  i>arts  which  are  not  profitably  marketable,  and  giving  employment 
to  thousands  of  her  citizens  in  t>^  mechanical  departments  of  industry, 
thus  securing  to  the  State  the  greatest  possible  shaj-e  of  the  profits  accru- 
ing from  her  products. 

MINNESOTA  FLOUR. 

In  the  foregoing  article  on  the  manufacturing  capabilities  of  the  State, 
incidental  mention  is  made  of  the  already  extensive  milling  interests. 
No  data  is  obtainable  at  the  moment  from  which  to  derive  an  approxi- 
mate idea  of  the  amount  invested  in  this  single  business,  but  it  is  neces- 
sarily very  large,  for  a  number  of  our  Minnesota  mills  are  the  finest  in 
thCTOorld.  Those  at  Minneapolis  are  especiaMy  noticeable,  and  are  visited 
by  persons  who  come  here  from  the  eastern  States  as  objects  particularly 
worthy  of  curiosity.  At  Stillwater,  St.  Paul,  Red  Wing,  Cannon  Falls 
Northfield  and  Lanesboro,  and  on  the  Zumbro  river,  and  at  Sauk  Centre, 
Mankato,  Fergus  Falls,  and  several  other  points,  are  others  less  extensive 
but  still  of  considerable  dimensions  and  expensive  construction,  and  in 
most  instances  supplied  with  all  the  recently  improved  machinery  and  ap- 
paratus for  the  manufacture  of  the  best  description  of  flouf.    The  floui 


14  MINNESOTA    IN    1879. 

manufactured  of  Minnesota  wheat,  and  by  mills  in  this  State,  has  for  years 
ranked  highest  in  the  eastern  and  foreign  markets,  and  command'ed  the 
best  prices,  and  for  the  past  two  or  three  years  has  been  in  especial  de- 
mand for  sliipment  to  Europe.  About  a  year  ago  orders  began  to  be 
received  by  the  millers  here  drrectly  from  foreign  dealers,  for  the  double 
purpose  of  making  sure  of  obtaining  the  flour  desired  and  saving  the  addi- 
tional expense  of  commissions  and  forwarding  charges  at  eastern  porta. 
This  trade  has  grown  rapidly,  Minneapolis  alone  having  shipped  last  year 
109,183  barrels  direct  to  foreign  ports,  and  several  other  mills  considerable 
quantities,  and  it  continues  to  increase,  thus  augmenting  the  ability  of 
the  millers  to  pay  higher  prices  for  the  wheat,  and  in  that  way  contribAt- 
ing  to  benefit  the  agriculturalists  of  the  State.  From  the  satisfaction 
which  has  so  far  been  given  to  both  shippers  and  receivers  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  this  direct  trade  will  continue  to  grow  until  it  covers  the 
entire  quantity  of  Minnesota  flour  sent  to  Europe. 


MANUFACTURES  OF  WOOD. 

Owing  to  the  circumstance  that  the  laws  of  the  Stat©  do  not  impose 
upon  any  of  the  local  officers  the  duty  of  gathering  manufacturing  statis- 
tics, leaving  the  State  Statistician  dependent  upon  voluntary  contributions 
for  this  kind  of  information,  it  follows  that  the  reports  are  necessarily  in- 
complete. Yet,  notwithstanding  this,  the  aggregated  showing  in  the 
report  for  last  year  is  very  cons'iderable.  Manufiictoriea  of  wood  are 
reported  in  fifty-two  counties,  and  number  71.5  establishments.  These 
embrace  207  sawmills,  forty-eight  counties  containing  one  or  more;  352 
wagon  and  carriage  factories,  33  planing  mills,  54  cooper  shops,  26  shops 
for  the  manufacture  of  blinds,  sash  and  doors,  14  furniture  factories,  20 
establishments  for  making  agricultunU  machinery,  and  five  others  for 
making  packing  boxes,  show-cases,  and  laths  and  shingles.  A  consider- 
able number  of  these  establishments  are  quite  large,  employing  a  good 
many  hands  and  heavy  investments  of  capital,  and  the  others  are  contin- 
ually increasing  their  extent  and  facilities,  while  additions  to  their  num- 
ber are  made  every  season.  The  possession  of  material  and  facilities  for 
its  profitable  manufacture  has  already  placed  Minnesota  in  the  category  of 
States  which  export  manufactures  of  wood,  and  she  is  gradually  assuming 
a  higher  position  in  that  list  with  the  opening  of  the  newer  regions  west 
and  northwest,  besides  supplying  the  rapidly  increasing  home  demand 
consequent  upon  the  annual  influx  of  new  settlers  within  her  own  borders 

SUGAR  MAKING  AND  REFINING. 

The  manufacturing  and  refining  of  syrup  and  sugar  from  Amber  Cane, 
which  has  heretofore  been  confined  to  fanmers  growing  the  cane,  is  about 
to  be  made  an  especial  deptxrtment  of  industry  in  this  State  The  uni- 
form testimony  of  Southern  sugar  refiners  as  to  excellence  of  the  pro- 
ducts of  thfs  cane,  and  the  nnalysis  of  the  raw  sugar  made  by  the  chem- 
ist of  the  national  agricultural  bureau  in  Washington,  have  led  enter- 
prising capitalists  here  to  regard  it  a^""of  utmost  importance  that  facilities 


MANUFACTURING.  1$ 

shall  be  provided  in  the  State  for  manufacturing  and  refining  it,  under  all 
the  advantages  of  improved  appliances  and  scientific  skill,  and  a  company 
is  now  about  organizing  in  Faribault,  Rice  county,  to  build,  furnish  and 
operate  such  factory  and  refinery.  Should  success  attend  ftheir  efforts, 
the  example  will,  no  doubt,  be  followed,  and  it  may  be  confidently  expect- 
ed that  the  business  will  shortly  grow  into  importance.  Both  sugar  and 
syrup,  produced  in  this  State,  have  been  sent  hence  to  St.  Louis  to  be 
refined,  and  the  experiments  have  been  entirely  successful.  The  products 
were  pronounced  fully  equal  to  the  syrups,  and  sugars  obtained -from  canes 
of  Louisiana  and  Cuba.  The  chemisd  of  the  agricultural  bureau  gave  the 
following  as  the  analysis  of  the  Amber  Cane  sugar  above  alluded  to,  viz.: 

Cane  Sugar  (saccharose)  88.8934 

Grape  Sugar  (glucose)   5.6100 

Water  (by  drying  at  110  deg.  C.)   ....    5.5250 

Analyses  made  by  other  chemists  confirm  this,  all  of  them  giving  the 
saccharine  element  as  comprising  more  thtm  87  per  cent.,  and  thus  show- 
ing the  product  to  equal  the  cane  sugar  in  sweetening  power  and  whole- 
fiomeness. 

CIAYS,  SA.NDS,  LIME,  STONE,  &a. 

Clays  are  found  in  abundance  in  many  localities,  and  they  are  generally 
of  excellent  quality.  Fifteen  counties  report  brick-yards  in  their  terri- 
tories, and  the  aggregate  number  of  these  is  thirty  in  the  entire  State. 
Several  of  them  are,  however,  quite  extensive,  and  the  total  of  manufac- 
tures in  this  line  is  an  item  of  considerable  importance.  In  Red  Wing, 
Goodhue  county,  and  New  Ulm,  Brown  county,  there  are  extensive 
potteries  where  a  very  superior  quality  of  stone-ware  is  manufactured. 
This  is  commonly  preferred  to  the  ware  sent  here  from  abroad,  because  of 
the  fineness  of  the  clay  used.  An  excellent  quality  of  fire-brick  is  also 
made  at  the  same  factories.  Near  the  bed  whence  the  clay  used  in  Red 
Wing  is  taken  there  is  an  extensive  deposit  of  much  finer  quality,  suita- 
ble for  the  manufacture  of  queensware  of  a  higher  than  average  standard. 
There  are  a  number  of  clay-beds  elsewhere  in  the  State,  only  awaiting 
the  demand  for  their  development,  to  furnish  material  for  other  factories 
and  make  this  an  important  branch  of  industry. 

Limestone  is  found  in  various  neighborhoods,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
lime  is  manufactured  annually  both  for  home  consumption  and  exporta- 
tion. The  quarrying  of  both  limestone  and  granite  for  building  purposes 
is,  also,  already  an  important  industry  in  a  number  of  localities,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Mississippi  and  Minnesota  rivers.  Rich  quarries  of  gran- 
ite of  excellent  quality  are  found  on  the  Missis.?ippi  river  near  Sauk 
Rapids,  and  likewise  along  the  upper  Minnesota  river,  and  in  the  Lake 
Superior  region  ;  and  an  excellent  description  of  durable  building  stone 
i^  quarried  from  the  bluils  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Pepin,  on  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  at  Easota,  on  the  Minnesota  river.  The  demand  for  this  kind 
of  material  for  building  purposes  must  be  the  means  of  allorfling  employ- 
ment for  a  good  many  persons  in  the  not  distant  future. 
In  localities  along  the  Mississippi  bluffs  immense  deposits  of  white 


l6-  MINNESOTA    IN    1879. 

Band  are,  likewise,  foand.  This  has  been  tested  and  found  very  superior 
for  the  manufacture  of  glass,  for  whieh  purpose  considerable  quantities 
of  it  have  been  already  exported.  There  are  likewise  several  quarries  of 
a  fine  quality  of  elate  in  the  State. 

,  Iron  ore  of  extraordinarily  good  quality,  which  It  Is  claimed  yields  a 
metal  equal  to  the  best  Swedish  Iron,  and  copper  ore  of  exceeding  richness, 
are  found  in  almost  inexhaustible  quantities  in  the  region  north  of  Lake 
Superior.  Extremely  valuable  specimens  of  silver  ore  have  likewise  b«en 
obtained  in  that  locality.  There  is  little  room  for  doubting  that  this  ^iW 
prove  one  of  the  most  profitable  mining  districts  in  the  world,  when  tho 
metallic  treasures  which  lie  buried  beneath  its  rugged  surface  are  more 
fully  developed. 

NEWSPAPERS  AND  PRINTING. 

There  are  very  few  counties  in  Minnesota  in  which  no  newspaper  is 
published ;  most  of  them  have  two,  and  several  have  more  than  two. 
Among  the  country  newspapers  are  a  score,  at  least,  of  large,  well-con- 
ducted, first-class  journals.  There  are  five  dailies  in  the  State,  all  enter- 
prising and  ably  managed,  and  one,  the  Pioneer- Press,  compares  well  with 
the  large  dailies  of  eastern  cities,  and  has  a  circulation  ranking  fourteenth 
among  the  newspapers  of  th£  United  States.  Well  appointed  job  print- 
ing offices  are  found  in  all  the  large  towns,  and  there  are  besides  engrav- 
ing, lithographing  and  stereotyping  establishments,  and  one  type-foundry.. 

OTHER  MANUFACTURES, 

Besides  the  foregoing  there  are  a  variety  of  other  manufactories  in  opera- 
tion in  the  State,  consuming  material  produced  within  its  limits,  but  gen- 
erally these  are  undeveloped  industries,  and  are  only  rlluded  to  here  as- 
serving  to  illustrate  the  capabilities  of  the  State  in  this  direction. 
Amongst  these  is  a  large  paper  mill  at  Minneapolis,  which  supplies  much 
of  the  paper  used  in  the  State,  besides  exporting  a  considerable  pcopor- 
tion  of  its  products.  There  are,  also,  fifty-six  cigar  factories,  which 
work  up,  in  part,  the  tobacco  grown  here,  together  with  imported  mate- 
rial ;  and  sixty-eight  breweries  consume  a  large  quantity  of  the  barley 
produced  in  the  State.  A  number  of  factories  of  leather  are,  likewise, 
in  operation,  and  a  considerable  share  of  the  stock  thj?y  use  is  taken  from 
cattle  raised  here  and  is  tanned  in  the  State.  Recently  an  important  busi- 
ness has  sprung  up  in  the  canning  and  preserving  of  fruits  and  berries 
grown  in  the  State.  Some  of  the  railroad  companies  are  making  their 
cars  here,  and  in  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul,  and  several  other  cities,  sta- 
tionary and  portable  steam  engines,  equal  to  those  made  anywhere,  are 
being  manufactured,  and  a  considerable  proportion  of  these  are  exported. 
Besides  the  factories  for  materials  produt;ed  here,  it  will  thus  be  seen  that 
a  large  amount  of  capital  is  employed  in  the  manufacture  within  the 
State  of  materials  produced  elsewhere,  so  that  Minnesota's  mianufacturing 
interests  are  already  of  significant  proportions. 


AGRICULTURAL.  1/ 


AGRICULTURAL. 


It  is  from  no  lack  of  appreciation  of  its  primary  importance  tliat  this 
branch  of  the  subject  follows  those  of  manufactures  and  commerce,  but 
as  the  agricultural  resources  of  a  country  are  of  greatest  moment,  it  was 
thought  expedient  to  place  the  other  topics  more  prominently  before  the 
reader,  in  order  to  insure  his  attention  as  well  to  the  facts  that  this  State 
possesses  manufacturing  and  commercial  facilities,  which  are  partially 
developed  and  are  keeping  pace  with  the  extension  of  her  agricultural 
industries.  In  treating  of  the  advantages  she  offers  to  the  agriculturist 
it  is  deemed  useless  to  theorize,  because  the  opportunity  of  summing  up 
results  and  making  just  comparisons  are  at  hand,  and  thus  the  actual  evi- 
dence may  be  presented.  Generally  the  comparisons  are  made  with  Ohio, 
for  the  reason  that  the  excellences  of  that  State  as  an  agricultural  region 
are  widely  known,  its  fertility  and  careful  tillage  will  not  be  disputed, 
and  its  statistics  of  agriculture  are  carefully  prepared  and  entirely  reliable. 

WHEAT— ITS  YIELD  AND  GRADE. 

Wheat  is  the  staple  product  of  Minnesota,  not  because  it  is  the  only 
grain  crop  that  will  mature,  nor  even  for  the  reason  that  it  is  surer  and  its 
yield  more  bountiful,  but  simply  because  it  always  sells  readily  fc  cash. 
"Whether  the  crop  is  scant  or  full  the  farmer  is  safe  in  calculating  his 
■wheat  as  so  much  ready  money  as  soon  as  he  can  get  it  in  the  market,  and 
it  usually  brings  a  remunerative  price.  This  i^why  the  agriculturists  of 
Minnesota  have  applied  themselves  mainly  to  the  cultivation  of  wheat, 
and  thus  won  for  the  State  the  deserved  and  almost  world-wide  repu- 
tation of  producing  wheat  of  a  better  quality  than  that  grown  in  any  other 
part  of  the  United  States,  if  not  of  the  world.  It  is  exceedingly  rich  in 
nutritive  elements,  and  the  flour  made  from  it  always  commands  the 
highest  prices. 

The  average  yield  of  wheat  in  this  State  ranges  from  about  sixteen  to 
twenty  bushels  per  acre,  and  when,  in  connection  with  this  statemeiji,  it 
is  remembered  that  the  area  upon  which  it  is  grown  includes  1,850,000 
acres,  scattered  over  sixty-eight  counties,  extending  about  two  hundred 
and  sixty  miles  east  and  west,  and  two  hundred  and  eighty  nortli  and  south 
the  magnitude  of  ^he  yield  can  be  more  fairly  appreciated.  It  is  rarely,  if 
ever,  that  a  season  passes  without  more  or  less  injury  to  crops  resulting 
from  local  drouths,  storms  or  other  causes  in  a  region  so  extensive,  and  it 
must  always  be  the  case  that  amongst  sixty-odd  thousand  farmers  there 
are  a  good  many  who  are  negligent  in  tilling  their  lands  and  taking  care 
of  their  produce.  When  a  district  of  such  immense  extent  shows  an  aver- 
age yield  of  even  twelve  bushels  per  acre,  the  circumstance  merits  especial 
mention. 


l8  MINNESOTA   IN    1 879. 

In  1877  the  average  ■vras  nineteen  and  a  half  bushels  per  acre.  In  four- 
teen counties  that  season  it  exceeded  twenty  bushels.  In  1868, 1869,  1872, 
1873,  and  1875  the  general  average  of  the  State  was  more  than  seventeeo 
bushels.  Another  circumstance  in  connection  with  cultivating  wheat  in 
this  State  deserves  remark  here,  that  is  :  the  ability  of  the  land  to  produce 
a  good  crop  does  not  appear  to  be  impaired  by  continuous  cultivation. 
The  farmers  of  the  older  counties  have  continued  to  grow  wheat  on  the 
same  land  year  after  year,  without  rest,  and  without  the  application  of 
fertilizers,  and  still  the  average  is  well  maintained.  Grouping  the  aver- 
ages of  the  six  years  from  1866  to  1871  inclusive,  and  we  discover  that  the 
mean  average  per  acre  for  each  season  was  15.34  bushels.  Pursuing  tlie 
same  course  with  the  interval  from  1872  to  1877  inclusive,  gives  us  a  mean 
average  or  15.33  bushels.  A  difference  of  just  one  one-hundredth  part  of 
a  bushel,  yet  the  latter  period  included  1876,  when  the  crop  of  the  State 
was  reduced  to  its  lowest  know.i  average.  This  result  is  not  due  to  tlie 
continual  additions  of  new  lands  to  the  wheat  producing  area  either,  as 
the  following  exhibit  of  the  averages  of  some  of  the  oldest  counties  in 
1877  will  show,  viz.: 

Carver 24.60|Olmsted 20.12 

Dakota 17.48  Ramsey 19.24 


Dodge  21.45 

Fillmore  17.81 

Freeborn 22.29 

Goodhue 21.58 

Hennepin   20.50 


Rice  ,.,...  23.05 

Scott 21.85 

Steele 23.78 

Wabasha  18.63 

Washington 19.01 


LeSueur 21.5liWinona. 17.59 

Polk  was  the  only  new  county  that  made  a  remarkable  showing  that 
season,  its  average  being  25.19  bushels  per  acre  1  As  compared  with  Iowa, 
Illinois  and  Ohio,  the  Minnesota  average  is  found  to  be  considerably  in  ex- 
cess, whether  taken  for  a  single  season  or  for  a  term  of  several  years,  and 
its  wheat  has  the  further  advantage  of  having  a  higher  grade  and  greater 
money  value.  On  page  503  of  the  Ohio  Statistics  for  1877,  it  is  stated  that 
the  "average  number  of  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre  in  twenty-seven 
years  is  11.61,"  and  according  to  the  report  of  the  U.  S.  Commissioner  or 
Agriculture  for  1877,  the  average  yield  for  that  year  in  Ohio  was  15  bus., 
Indiana  14.5  bus.,  Illinois  16.5  bus.,  Wisconsin  15  bus.,  Iowa  14.5  bus., 
Missouri  14  bus.,  Kansas  13.5  bus.,  Nebraska  15  bus.,  California  9.5  bus.; 
while  Minnesota's  yield  according  to  the  same  authority  was  18.5  bushels 
per  acre  I 

The  total  yield  of  wheat  in  this  State  in  1877  is  stated  by  Hon.  J.  P. 
.Jacobson,  State  Statistician,  to  have  been  32,280,637  bushels  by  weight  of 
sixty  pounds  to  the  bushel  I  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  this  is  one 
of  the  greatest  wheat-growing  regions  in  the  world,  and  as  it  is  not  likely 
that  the  assertion  wyll  be  contradicted,  it  seems  hardly  worth  while  to 
dwell  longer  upon  this  theme.  If  doubt  of  the  statement  should  exist  in 
any  mind,  reference  for  its  confirmation  may  be  made  to  reports  of  tlie  U. 
S.  Agricultural  Bureau,  and  to  the  statistics  published  by  the  several 
wheat-producing  States.  There  might  be  added  here  a  great  many  well- 
authenticated  instances  of  extraordinary  yields,  occurring  in  every  county 


AGRICULTURAL.  19 

•nd  almost  erery  season,  but  it  is  considered  inexpedient  to  publish  them, 
AS  the  Board  prefers  that  the  reputation  of  the  State  for  fertility  shall 
depend  upon  general  results  as  found  in  official  records,  which  cannot  b© 
disputed'. 

THE  CORN  CROP. 

Com  has  been  grown  in  this  State  since  its  earliest  settlement,  and  ife 
matures  well  and  yields  abundantly  almost  every  season.  In  1867  the  area 
devoted  to  its  culture  was  162,722  acres,  and  in  1877  it  had  increased  to 
388,708  acres.  The  crop  of  the  latter  year  was  much  below  the  usuall 
yield,  but  even  then  the  average  per  acre  exceeded  28>^  bus.  For  eigh& 
years,  embracing  the  period  from  1867  to  1874  inclusive,  the  average  was 
32>^  bus.  per  acre,  and  for  the  same  period  in  Ohio  the  average  yield  was 
35%  bus.  per  acre.  The  largest  yields  during  any  year  of  that  period  were, 
in  Minnesota,  37^  bus.  and  in  Ohio,  40  5-6  bus.;  and  the  lowest  28% 
bus.  in  Minnesota  and  28)^  bus.  in  Ohio.  This  period  includes  three 
years  of  extraordinary  yield  in  Ohio  and  only  one  of  uncommon  yield  in 
Minnesota.  When  it  is  remembered  that  com  is  the  staple  crop  of  Ohio, 
and  that  particular  attention  is  paid  to  its  cultivation,  the  acreage  devoted 
to  it  being  more  than  twice  as  much  as  that  of  wheat ;  while  in  Minne- 
sota it  is  the  third  crop  in  importance,  having  only  about  one-fifth  the 
acreage  that  is  devoted  to  wheat  and  considerably  less  than  that  used  for 
oats,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  above  is  an  extraordinarily  good  showing. 
The  comparison  is  made,  too,  with  one  of  the  very  best  and  most  care- 
fully cultivated  corn  states  of  the  Union. 

THE  OAT  CROP. 

The  oats  grown  in  Minnesota  are  generally  heavy  and  contain  an  unu- 
sual proportion  of  nutritive  constituents.  They  are  held  in  high  esteem 
for  the  mimufacture  of  oatmeal.  In  1877  the  quantity  produced  was 
13,819, 63X)  bus.,  an  average  of  about  3d}-^  bus.  per  acre  ;  and  the  lowest 
average  yield  for  the  nine  years  preceding  was  28%  bus.  per  acre ;  the 
liighest  being  31}^  bus.  During  the  same  years  in  Ohio  the  lowest  aver- 
age was  22  bus.  per  acre,  and  the  highest  32%  bus.,  showing  that  Minne- 
sota is  far  ahead  in  the  matter  of  producing  oats. 

RYE,  BARLEY  AND  BUCKWHEAT. 

The  yield  of  rye  in  this  State  since  1867  has  not  fallen  below  an  avei-age 
per  acre  of  123^  bus.  nor  exceeded  19  bus. ;  the  general  average  has  been 
about  16  bus.  In  Ohio  during  the  same  interval  the  lowest  average  was 
93^  bus.  and  the  highest  11^  bus. ,  the  mean  average  being  about  IQi^ 
bus.  During  the  same  interval  barley  has  ranged  in  Minnesota  from  an 
average  of  18%  to  30)^  bus.,  with  a  mean  average  of  26  bus.,  and  the 
quality  very  superior.  The  barley  of  this  State  is  renowned  in  the  mar- 
kets for  its  weight,  freedom  from  rust  and  mature  development.  In  Ohio 
in  the  same  time  the  range  was  for  barley  from  12%  to  26%  bus. ,  the 
naean  average  being  20%  bus.     Take  Buckwheat  in  the  same  period,  and 


20  MINNESOTA    IN    iS/Q. 

we  have  as  the  extremes  in  Minnesota  7^  and  IGJ^  bus.,  and  a  mean  aver- 
age of  131^  bus.;  and  in  Ohio  7%  and  12  bus.  are  the  extremes  of  annual 
averages  and  10 1^  bus.  the  mean.  Thus  it  seems  that  in  all  these  products 
Minnesota  is  ahead  of  Ohio,  notwithstanding  the  less  systematic  and  care- 
ful cultivation  arising  from  her  newness. 

TIMOTHY,  CLOVER,  FLAX  AND  HEMP. 

Of  tame  hay  the  yields  per  acre  in  Ohio  and  Minnesota  are  nearly  the 
same.  That  of  Ohio  being  1  13-100  tons,  and  of  Minnesota  1  18-100  tons. 
The  cultivation  of  clover  has  not,  until  quite  recently,  attracted, attention 
here,  and  there  is  no  data  at  hand  for  instituting  comparisons.  The  yield 
is  pronounced  by  Minnesota  farmers  to  be  large.  No  report  is  made  of 
the  flax  fiber  grown  in  Minnesota,  but  the  seed  produced  is  7  36-100  bus. 
per  acre,  and  in  Ohio  6  9-10  bus.,  an  excess  of  46-100  bus.  in  favor  of  this 
State.  Both  flax  and  hemp  grow  well  here,  and  the  fibers  are  excellent, 
and  in  the  future  their  cultivation  and  manufacture  will,  no  doubt,  become 
an  important  source  of  wealth  to  the  State. 

WILD  GLASSES. 

The  wild  grasses  of  this  State  are  famous  for  the  nourishment  they  con- 
tain. They  not  only  afford  rich  and  ample  pasturage,  upon  which  horses, 
cattle  and  sheep  thrive  well,  but  also  make  an  excellent  quality  of  hay. 
Many  farmers  prefer  them  to  timothy  for  the  latter  purpose.  Three  varie- 
ties, the  buffalo  and  herd  grass  and  blue  joint,  after  the  ground  has  been 
mowed  over  a  few  times,  become  fine  and  succulent  and  cure  very  nicely, 
and  even  the  coarsest  variety  of  slough  grass  is  similarly  affected,  though 
its  improvement  is  not  so  marked.  Cattle  subsist  during  the  winter  on 
hay  of' this  latter  description,  and  keep  in  good  order  if  properly  sheltered. 

FRUITS  AND  BERRIES. 

Minnesota  was  long  ago  famous  for  its  wild  crab  apples,  plums,  black- 
berries, strawberries  and  grapes.  These  were  abundant  all  over  the  State, 
and  the  qualities  were  generally  excellent.  No  more  delicious  wild  plums 
and  strawberries  are  found  anywhere,  and  when  improved  by  cultivation 
these  excel  many  of  the  tame  varieties.  The  wild  grapes  abound  most  on 
■the  bottom  lands  of  creeks  and  rivers.  A  choice  quality  of  wine  is  fre- 
quently made  from  them.  Some  varieties  of  the  wild  crab-apples  were 
formerly  used  for  preserving,  but  the  introduction  of  tame  fruits  has  obvi- 
ated the  necessity  for  resorting  to  them  now-a-days.  The  existence  of 
such  wild  fruits  and  berries  was,  of  itself,  evidence  to  some  minds  that 
tame  fruits,  of  similar  varieties,  would  grow  here,  and  experiments  for 
their  introduction  were  accordingly  made.  Tame  grapes,  plums,  crab- 
apples,  strawberries,  raspberries,  currants  and  gooseberries  were  success- 
fully experimented  with  from  the  start,  but  considerable  difficulty  attended 
the  earlier  efforts  to  introduce  the  standard  apples,  and  after  several  fail- 
ures, those  who  undertook  it  became  discouraged.  It  was  remembered, 
however,  that  similar  disappointments  attended  the  introduction  of  apple- 
culture  into  Michigan,  now  one  of  the  greatest  apple-producing  States  in 
the  Union,  and  this  encouraged  Minnesota  agi  iculturists  to  persevere   in 


AGRICULTURAL.  21 

their  endeavors,  and  the  consequence  is  that  laat  year  there  were  203,493 
apple  trees  in  bearing  in  this  State,  and  1,219,324  growing;  and  the  year 
before  (1877)  15,736  bus.  of  apples  were  grown  in  the  State.  No  report  of 
the  quantity  of  apples  raised  last  year  has  yet  been  made  by  the  county- 
assessors.  Most  of  the  apples  raised  were  of  handsome  appearance  and 
excellent  flavor,  and  were  preserved  through  the  winter  without  difficulty. 
Tame  strawberries  were  grown  in  fifty  counties,  and  203,024  quarts  are 
reported  to  have  been  picked  last  year.  These  include  all  the  popular 
varieties  known  in  the  Middle  States.  Fifty-one  counties  reported  bear- 
ing grape  vines  last  year,  and  a  total  number  of  40,743  vines.  In  1877 
there  weje  101,973  lbs.  of  grapes  grown  in  the  State.  Of  the  varieties  of 
grapes  grown  here  the  most  common  are  the  Isabella,  Concord  and  Dela- 
ware, and  they  are  certainly  luscious  fruit.  ..No  report  is  given  in  the 
statistics  of  the  State  of  the  cultivated  raspberries,  blackberries,  currants, 
gooseberries,  plums,  etc.,  but  they  abound  everywhere,  the  yield  is  pro- 
lific and  the  quality  unexcelled.  In  short,  it  may  be  relied  upon  that  there 
need  be  no  greater  scarcity  of  fruit,  both  large  and  small,  in  Minnesota 
than  in  the  Middle  States  generally. 

BEES  AND  HONEY. 

Bees  and  honey  are  natural  products  of  Minnesota.  Wild  bees  were 
found  here  in  great  plenty  when  the  State  was  settled,  and  they  thriva 
well  when  domesticated.  A  great  many  swarms  of  Italian  bees  have  also 
been  brought  here  and  are  found  to  be  easily  kept  through  the  winter. 
There  were  reported  to  be  10,835  hives  here  in  1877,  and  their  produce 
was  213,768  lbs.  of  honey.  This  does  not  include  a  great  many  hives 
kept  in  the  cities. 

GARDEN  VEGETABLES  AND  MELONS. 

All  the  usual  varieties  of  garden  vegetables  cultivated  in  the  Middle 
States  of  the  Union  are  grown  here  with  equal  facility,  and  mature 
about  as  early.  Root  vegetables  especially  flourish  in  this  soil,  and  finer 
potatoes,  beets,  parsnips,  carrots,  salsify,  radishes,  onions,  etc.,  are  not 
raised  anywhere  ;  and  the  water-melons,  musk-melons  and  canteJopes 
of  Minnesota  bid  fair  to  become  as  famous  as  those  of  New  Jersey  used 
to  be.  Squashes  and  pumpkins  attain  enormous  size  and  are  richly 
flavored  ;  and  no  better  or  larger  tomatoes  are  grown  anywhere.  Cabbage, 
lettuce,  spinach,  endives,  etc.,  grow  rapidly  and  are  tender  and  succulent. 
No  finer  beans  and  peas  can  be  grown  than  those  produced  here. 

MAPO:  SUGAR  AND  SYRUP. 

The  fact  that  maple  sugar  and  syrup  were  manufactured  in  thirty-six 
counties  last  year,  shows  that  maple  timber  is  pretty  generally  scattered 
through  the  State,  and  as  the  quantities  made  are  respectively  13,588  gal- 
lons of  syrup  and  52,723  lbs.  of  sugar,  that  that  variety  of  forest  tree  is 
somewhat  abundant.  There  are  maple  trees  in  sufficient  quantities  for 
the  manufacture  of  these  products  in  several  other  counties,  but  if  any 
was  made  in  them  it  was  not  reported.  In  more  than  half  the  counties 
of  the  State  maple  syrup  and  sugar  are  manufactured  every  year. 


22  MINNESOTA   IN    1 8/9. 

TOBACCO. 

Tobacco  is  grown  in  fifty-nine  counties,  and  in  1877  tliere  were  38,83> 
lbs.  raised.  Thia  ought  to  be  accepted  as  sufficient  evidence  of  the 
lengtli  of  the  growing  season,  for  it  is  well-known  that  this  plant  ma- 
tures slowly. 

AMBER  CANE. 

The  earlier  experiments  in  the  manufacture  of  syrup  and  sugar  from 
the  sorghum  cane  were  unsuccessful  in  this  State,  as  they  were  in  the 
northern  States  of  the  Union  generally.  This  was  partly  because  the 
plaats  would  not  fully  mature,  and  partly  from  the  crude  and  iqjperfect 
appliances  and  machinery  used  in  the  manufacture  of  its  products.  A. 
few  years  since,  however,  two  enterprising  agriculturists  of  the  State,  who 
had  given  the  subject  a  good  deal  of  attention,  procured  a  variety  of  cane 
known  as  "  Early  Amber,"  and  since  its  introduction  the  efforts  in  thia 
branch  of  industry  have  resulted  in  the  realization  of  the  most  sanguine 
hopes.  Proper  machinery  has  recently  been  obtained  for  expressing  the 
juice  and  manufacturing  it,  and  syrup  and  sugar  nf  very  superior  quality 
are  now  made  at  their  own  homes  by  a  large  number  of  our  farmers,  at 
comparatively'  small  cost.  According  to  the  Statistics  of  1878,  there  was 
more  or  less  made  in  fifty  counties.  Two  thousand  two  hundred  acres  of 
cane  were  grown,  and  the  average  yield  of  syrup  was  63.07  gallons  per 
acre.  This,  however,  is  much  less  than  might  have  been  obtained"  had  all 
the  farmers  who  engaged  in  the  manufacture  supplied  themselves  with 
proper  machinery.  In  those  counties  where  suitable  appliances  were 
generally  used  the  yield  was  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  gallons  per  acre.  The  fact  that  similar  success  has  not  been 
achieved  in  other  northern  States  would  seem  to  indicate  that  Minnesota 
is  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of  Amber  Cane. 

FOREST  TREE  CCTLTURE— FUEL. 
Early  in  the  settlement  of  the  State,  those  who  had  made  homes  on  the 
prairies  frequently  planted  about  their  dwellings  and  stabling  groves  of 
white  willow,  white  maple,  cottonwoods,  linden  and  other  fast  growing 
trees  as  a  means  of  shelter  from  the  winds,  and  in  1873  the  officers  of 
the  St.  Paul  and  Pacific  Railroad  Company  resorted  to  a  similar  expedient 
to  prevent  the  drifting  snows  filling  the  cuts  along  the  line  of  their  road. 
This  gave  an  impulse  to  the  general  culture  of  forest  trees  in  the  prairie 
districts,  and  mainly  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  delegation  from 
this  State,  Congress,  in  1873,  passed  a  law  for  the  encouragement  of  forest 
tree  planting.  This  has  since  been  amended  until  it  is  now  efficient  to 
promote  this  important  purpose.  In  his  inaugural  message.  Gov.  Pillsbury 
suggested  that  the  State  likewise  lend  its  assistance  to  this  work  by  sec- 
onding the  efforts  of  the  State  Forestry  Association,  an  organization 
formed  chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  its  present  Secretary,  Hon.  L.  B. 
Hodges,  and  the  legislature  accordingly  made  a  generous  appropriation 
to  be  distributed  by  the  Association  in  the  shape  of  premiums.  Since 
then  the  work  of  forest-tree  planting  has  made  rapid  progress,  and  the 
results  will  soon  be  available  for  fuel  supply,  as  the  groves  already  ax* 
for  shelter  and  scenery. 


Agricultural.  2^ 

Aside  from  this  prospective  source,  the  native  forests  of  the  State  and 
Ihe  adjacent  coal-fields  of  Iowa  are  ample  to  satisfy  the  demand  for  fuel 
for  many  years  to  come,  and  the  railroad  companies,  being  interested  in 
the  early  settlement  of  all  parts  of  the  State,  that  the  business  of  their 
roads  may  be  thereby  increased,  are  transporting  fuel  cheaply,  so  that  it  can 
be  sold  at  reasonable  prices  in  the  most  distant  prairie  counties.  But 
there  is  really  no  portion  of  the  State  where  enough  timber  for  fuel  is 
not  accessible  without  any  very  serious  inconvenience,  even  if  these 
iuvoring  circumstances  did  not  exist. 

STOCK  KAISING. 

The  richness  and  abundance  of  the  native  grasses  and  the  wide  ranges 
of  free  pasturage  in  Minnesota  naturally  attracted  the  attention  of  cattle 
growers  at  an  early  day,  and  experiments  in  every  instance  proved  re- 
markably successful.  It  was  found  that  the  pasturage  frequently  contin- 
ued fair  until  about  the  middle  of  November,  and  in  the  spring  the  grass 
grew  rapidly,  so  that  the  feeding  season  was  but  little,  if  any,  longer 
than  iu  Illinois  or  Missouri,  and  there  was  no  more  necessity  for  grain 
feeding  than  in  districts  further  south.  This  success  has  led  many  per- 
sons to  engage  in  raising  cattle,  and  the  business  has  already  become  im- 
portant, involving  in  the  aggregate  a  large  investment  of  capital.  A 
gentleman  formerly  engaged  in  stock  raising  in  Texas,  and  afterwards  in 
Kansas,  who  is  now  located  in  Polk  county  in  this  State,  says  that  he 
4iad  no  difficulty  whatever  in  wintering  his  herd  during  the  season  that 
has  just  passed,  and  that  the  cattle  are  in  better  condition  this  spring  than 
was  usual  in  the  other  localities  named.  He  fed  no  grain  nor  has  his 
cattle  had  extra  care,  being  provided  only  with  shelters  made  of  polea 
4uid  closed  in  and  covered  with  straw. 

He  says  that  the  dryness  of  the  atmosphere  and  absence  of  cold  rains, 
mud,  sleet  and  continually  varying  temperatures  more  than  compensate 
for  the  severer  cold  experienced  here  ;  that  the  cattle's  hair  grows  enough 
thicker  to  protect  them  and  that  they  are  not  so  liable  to  become  chilled. 
Again,  ihe  quickly  grown  grasses  of  this  country,  cured  without  expos- 
ure to  rains  and  successive  falls  of  dew,  retain  all  their  nutritious  juices 
and  make  stronger  and  more  palatable  hay.  The  extensive  natural  mead- 
ows furnish  thousands  of  tons  of  this  hay,  to  be  had  for  the  cutting  and 
curing,  and  afford  an  ample  supply  of  winter  feed  at  little  cost. 

The  cattle  contract  none  of  the  diseases  here  incidental  lo  damper 
climates,  and  their  better  health  saves  the  heavy  losses  which  southern 
fttock  raisers  annually  suffer.  Besides  the  common  cattle  raised  here  for 
beef,  finer  herds  of  Durhams,' Jerseys  Ayrshires,  Galloways,  Herefords, 
Devons,  etc.,  cannot  be  found  anywhere. 

DAIRY  FAKMING. 
The  ease  and  incxpensiveness  with  which  cattle  are  taken  care  of  and 
their  superb  general  health,  added  to  the  advantages  which  the  cool  sum- 
mer  nights  of  this  region  afford  for  preserving  milk,  has  induced  a  good 
.many  of  our  enterprising  farmers  to  engage  in  dairy  farming.  In  1877 
there  were  200,379  milch  cows  kept  in  the  State,  and  13,433,195  lbs.  of 
batter  and  829.076  lbs.  of  cheese  were  made.     When  the  proper  means  are 


24  MINNESt)TA    IN    1 8/9. 

used  and  the  abundant  facilities  systematically  utilized,  it  is  claimed  thai 
dairy  farming  pays  better  than  any  other  department  of  agricultural  in- 
dustry. There  are  forty-six  cheese  factories  in  operation  in  the  State  and: 
a  number  of  extensive  butter  making  establishments.  In  1878  there  was 
an  increase  of  13,500  milch  cows  over  the  number  of  the  preceding  year. 
Much  of  the  butter  made  in  the  regular  dairy  establishments  here  is 
shipped  to  eastern  markets  and  sold  for  the  highest  prices,  and  cheese 
from  Minnesota  factories  meets  with  ready  sale  and  the  best  prices  in  the 
markets  of  England. 

SHEEP   AND  WOOL. 

The  same  causes  which  make  Minnesota  an  excellent  country  for  raising 
neat  cattle  also  adapt  it  for  growing  sheep  and  wool.  The  feed  is  abund- 
ant  in  quantity,  superior  in  quality  and  procured  cheaply.  Sheep  require 
to  be  cared  for  in  winter,  and  sheds  with  high  roofs  and  good  ventilation 
are  necessary  for  the  best  condition  of  the  flocks.  They  are  not  liable  to 
foot-rot,  catarrhal  affections,  and  various  other  ailments  as  in  moister 
climates;  their  wool  is  heavier  and  grows  thicker  and  of  finer  fibre  be- 
cause of  the  greater  warmth  required  in  this  natural  covering  in  the  reg- 
ularly cold  winters  of  this  latitude.  There  is  but  little  danger  from 
wolves,  as  the  bounties  paid  by  the  State  for  their  destruction  have  led 
to  their  becoming  very  scarce  and  shy,  except  in  heavily  timbered  dis- 
tricts. Dogs  are  their  most  dangerous  foes,  and  in  respect  to  the  num- 
bers of  these  Minnesota  is  no  worse  off  than  older  states.  There  are  a 
great  many  fine  blooded  sheep  in  the  State.  In  1878  there  were  173,269 
sheep,  and  645,156  lbs.  of  wool  were  sheared.  On  account  of  the  unusu- 
ally warm  weather  of  the  preceding  winter  the  clip  was  much  lighter 
than  ordinarily  that  year. 

HOGS. 

The  number  of  hogs  raised  in  the  State  last  year  was  217,183,  and  th© 
success  attending  this  business  is  leading  to  its  large  annual  increase. 
Hogs  thrive  well,  fatten  easily,  and  require  no  extra  care  whatever.  Of 
late  a  good  deal  of  attention  has  been  paid  to  improving  the  stock  and  on, 
most  of  the  farms  the  drove  of  hogs  attracts  the  visitor's  attention. 
Minnesota  farmers  appear  to  have  accepted  the  conviction  that  it  is  as 
cheap  to  feed  the  best  as  the  worst  animals,  while  the  profit  is  much, 
greater,  and  therefore,  the  improved  breeds  are  the  universal  favorites. 

HORSES. 
Horses  appear  to  become  hardier  and  more  capable  of  endurance  in  this 
climate,  even  when  brought  here  from  countries  further  south  after  their 
maturity,  and  those  raised  here  are  certainly  much  better  than  theavei-age 
from  other  States.  In  part  this  is  due,  no  doubt,  to  the  care  that  has  been, 
taken  in  introducing  the  best  stock,  but  it  is  also  largely  owing  to  the 
he'althfulness  of  the  climate  and  the  superior  nutritive  properties  of  the. 
feed.  There  are  204,983  horses  in  the  State,  and  amongst  them  is  a  larger 
proportion  of  perfectly  healthy,  handsome  animals  than  is  to  be  seeo. 
elsewhere,  and  they  always  meet  with  ready  sale  and  bring  good  prices 
when  shipped  to  eastern  markets. 


EDUCATIONAL.  2$ 

BEEF,  MUTTON  AND  PORK. 

Mr.  George  Baihly,  an  experienced  butcher  of  Rochester,  MinncBota, 
who  has  followed  the  business  for  more  than  twenty  years  here,  after  an, 
exjrorience  of  fifteen  years  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  declares  that  the  meats 
of  animals  raised  here  are  decidedly  superior  to  those  of  the  two  other 
]ocalities  named,  and  the  experienced  butchers  of  the  State  confirm  this 
assertion.  The  animals  slaughtered  are  found  to  be  free  from  diseases  of 
liver,  kidneys,  or  intestines ;  the  flesh  is  firm  and  solid  and  abounding  in 
natural  juices.  This  is  true  of  all  the  domestic  animals  whose  meats  are 
nsed  for  food.  There  were  never  any  signs  of  trichina  discovered  in 
Minnesota  hogs,  and  the  bacon  made  from  them  is  dense  without  being 
dry,  and  deliciously  flavored.  Mr.  Baihly  declared  that  he  never  slaugh- 
tered a  hog  in  this  State  that  had  any  marks  of  disease  and  never  one  in 
Indiana  that  had  not.  Minnesota  beef  and  pork  are  sought  for  in  Eastera 
markets  in  preference  to  that  raised  further  south. 

FENCING. 

It  has  become  an  established  custom  among  farmers,  in  the  prairi© 
counties,  to  herd  cattle  during  the  summer,  confining  them  in  small 
yards  at  night.  Two  or  three  boys  can  thus  take  care  of  the  cattle  and 
sheep  of  an  entire  neighborhood.  This  obviates  the  necessity  of  fencing 
the  fields  in  which  grain  is  growing,  and  limits  the  amount  of  fencing 
required,  to  what  is  necessary  for  enclosing  only  a  few  acres  about  the 
houses  and  stabling.  This  saving  becomes  considerable,  in  comparison 
with  which  the  cost  of  herding  the  stock  is  iasignificant,  and  in  the 
meantime  the  appearance  of  the  farm  is  improved  by  the  absence  of  un- 
sightl}'  fences.  AVhere  trees  are  planted  along  the  highways,  it  takes 
only  a  few  years  to  grow  live  fences,  which  can  easily  be  made  to  turn 
cattle  by  placing  poles  along  and  nailing  them  to  the  growing  trees ;  and 
for  what  fencing  is  actually  needed  fence-boards  can  be  procured  at  low 
prices  in  every  locality.  Resort  to  these  expedients  greatly  lessens  the 
force  of  the  objection  urged  against  prairie  countries,  for  there  the  ex- 
pense of  fencing  always  must  be  a  serious  consideration,  especiall}'  with 
those  who  possess  only  small  capital,  if  the  necessity  exists  for  fencing 
to  protect  the  growing  crops  against  cattle.  It  is  the  uniform  custom 
throughout  the  State  to  keep  hogs  in  enclosures  of  limited  extent,  aa 
they  give  no  trouble,  do  better  and  are  fattened  at  less  expense  by  that 
course  of  treatment. 


EDUCATIONAL 


The  educational  facilities  afforded  in  Minnesota,  when  the  newness  of 
its  settlement  is  considered,  are  surprising  even  to  those  who  have  wit- 
nesaed  their  gradual  development,  and  it  must  severely  tax  the  credulity 
of  people  residing  elsewhere  to  believe  hnlf  ihe  truth.     Yet   the  figure*. 


36  MINNESOTA    IN    1S79. 

•given  below  are  taken  from  the  report  of  the  State  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  tlieir  accuracy. 

There  are  schools  in  seventy-one  counties  of  the  Staie,  the  number  of 
districts  being  3,811,  and  of  school-houses  3,280.  Of  the  latter,  2,469 
.are  frame  buildings,  136  brick,  74  stone  and  601  log.  The  nuinber  of 
•scholars  is  167,825,  and  teachers  employed  4,872.  The  average  monthly 
■wages  paid  teachers  (including  board)  is  $37.52  for  male  and  $28.12  for 
female  teacJiers,  and  the  aggregate  amount  paid  them  last  year  was  $378,- 
'980.42.  The  value  of  school  houses  and  sites  is  $3,382,351.85.  The  in- 
crease of  scholars  in  187S  over  1S77  was  5,274;  increase  of  districts  114; 
increase  of  school  houses  131 ;  iucrea.se  of  value  of  houses  and  sites 
$399,835.35  ;  increase  of  teachers  130.  The  total  cost  of  the  schools  for 
ihe  year  was  11,181,326.58. 

The  system  of  public  schools  embraces,  besides  the  common  schools, 
graded  schools  and  high  schools.  There  are  seventy-eight  of  the  former 
and  thirty-nine  or  forty  of  the  latter,  and  as  the  scholars  in  the  lower 
schools  advance,  the  number  of  high  schools  is  increased,  though  hardly 
fast  enough  to  satisfy  the  demand.  Above  the  high  scliools  and  depend- 
ent upon  them  for  its  supply  of  scholars,  is  the  State  University,  of. which 
the  Agricultural  College  is  a  department,  and  three  excellent  Normal 
Schools  are  maintained  by  the  State  for  training  teachers.  Most  munif- 
icent provision  has  been  made  for  the  support  of  public  educational 
institutions  in  this  State  by  both  the  general  and  State  governments. 
The  former  donated  for  common  schools  lands  equal  to  one-eighteenth 
part  of  the  entire  surveyed  area  of  the  State,  and  178,086  acres  additional 
were  ceded  for  the  University  and  Agricultural  College.  The  State  has 
pursued  a  sagacious  policy  in  disposing  of  these  so  as  to  get  the  highest 
price  for  what  have  been  sold,  and  the  money  accruing  from  such  sales 
is  safely  invested  and  is  already  yielding  a  very  considerable  income. 
It  is  provided  that  no  part  of  the  principle  of  this  sum  shall  be  expended, 
but  it  remains  a  perpetual  endowment  for  the  schools,  the  interest  only 
being  available  for  current  use.  This  greatly  reduces  taxation  for  educa- 
tional purposes  already,  and,  as  its  total  increases  every  year  through  addi- 
tional sales  of  land,  the  revenue  derived  from  it  will  contribute  still 
more  largely  in  the  future  to  the  support  of  education. 

Besides  the  public  schools  and  higher  institutions  of  learning,  there 
are  a  large  number  of  private  and  denominational  schools  and  colleges. 
No  statistics  of  these  are  at  hand,  but  it  is  believed  that  they  will  num- 
ber fully  300.  While  it  is  not  strictly  true  that  the  educational  facilities 
of  the  State  are  entirely  adequate,  they  are  equally  so  with  those  afiorded 
fiven  by  the  older  States  of  the  Union. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


27 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


HEALTHFULNESS. 

Thehealthfulaess  of  Minnesota  is  best  illustrated  by  comparisons  witli 
the  rates  of  mortality  in  other  countries.  The  total  number  of  deaths  in 
the  State  during  1877  was  6,509.  This  is  at  the  rate  of  one  in  every  one 
hundred  and  thirteen  of  the  population  ;  but  738  of  these  deaths  were 
from  consumption  and  354  from  other  chronic  ailments,  most  of  which 
were  of  persons  who  came  here  invalids,  too  much  reduced  in  health  to 
recover.  Deducting  these  and  we  have  only  one  death  to  one  hundred 
•and  thirty-five  inhabitants.  Lest  this  shall  be  deemed  unfair,  the  com- 
parison is  made  on  the  basis  of  charging  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  chronic 
cases  to  this  State,  when  we  have  the  following : 


Minnesota  1  in  124 

Wisconsin 1  in  108 

Iowa  1  in    93 

Pennsylvania    1  in    96 

Michigan   1  in    88 

Illinois  1  in    73 

Missouri 1  in    51 


The  whole  United  States.  1  in  74 

Norway 1  in  56 

Sweden   1  in  50 

Denmarij  1  in  46 

Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  1  in  46 

France 1  in  41 

Germany 1  in  37 


The  chances  of  life  in  Minnesota  are  increased  in  the  proportion  that 
the  above  death-rates  of  the  countries  named  bear  to  the  death-rate  of 
tliis  State.  This  statement  ought  to  remove  all  doubt  as  to  the  healthfui- 
aess  of  this  climate. 

WHAT  WILL  A  HOME  COST  ? 

The  question  is  often  asked  :  how  much  money  is  indispensably  nec- 
essary for  the  immigrant  to  bring  with  him  to  make  a  home  in  Minne- 
sota? The  answer  to  this  depends  very  much  upon  who  the  questioner 
is,  what  family  he  has,  with  how  little  they  could  be  content,  and  many 
other  circumstances  which  cannot  be  anticipated.  It  is,  therefore,  best 
to  tell  simply  what  may  be  done  under  ordinary  adventitious  circumstances, 
in  the  case  of  a  poor  man  going  on  government  land. 

The  fees  for  making  his  claim  will  amount  to  $14,  and  his  expenses  in 
risiting  the  land  oflice  $3— total  $17.  The  material  for  his  house,  16x18 
leet,  built  of  single  boards,  crjvered  with  shingles,  unplastered  and  hav- 
ing only  two  doors  and  windows,  will  cost  $45.  The  work  he  can  do 
limself.  For  winter  this  can  be  made  warm  enough  by  building  a  sod 
wall  outside  of  the  boards.  Furniture,  consisting  of  a  cooking  stove, 
<rockery  ware,  half  dozen  chairs,  one  table  and  two  bedsteads,  will  re- 
quire about  $40.  To  work  his  farm,  a  yoke  of  oxen  $125,  plow  $23, 
wagon  $75 — total  $223.  If  he  begins  in  the  spring,  he  can  grow  corn, 
potatoes,  and  garden  vegetables  for  the  first  season,  but  will  have  to  buy 
flour, — for  a  family  of  four  persons,  say,  $30,  groceries  $15,  cuw  $25,  fuel 
$30 — total  $100,  Add  for  two  or  three  hogs,  hoes,  'shovel,  rake,  scythe, 
and  other  incideatals,  say  $40,  and  we  have  the  following  : 


28  MINNESOTA    IN    1 879. 

Entry  fees  for  land,  etc., $17  00 

Material  for  house, 45  OO- 

Furniture  (exclusive  of  bedding), '      40  00 

Farm  implements  and  oxen 223  00 

Living  the  first  16  months, 100  00 

Incidentals 40  00 

Total $465  00 

As  all  his  time  cannot  be  profitably  employed  about  his  own  claim,  he 
may  safely  calculate  upon  having  opportunity  to  work  for  his  neighbors 
and  earn  from  $100  to  $150.  The  second  spring  he  will  require  casli  for 
seed  wheat  and  a  drag  to  harrow  it  in,  say  $75,  and  for  help  to  harvest 
his  grain  about  $75.  These  items  added  to  what  is  given  above  make 
$612,  less  whatever  he  may  earn  during  the  year — hardly  less  than  $100. 

The  second  year  he  may  confidently  expect  from  his  fifty  acres  of  wheat 
650  bushels.  Deducting  200  bushels  for  bread  and  seed,  and  selling  the 
remainder  at  80  cejits  per  bushel,  will  bring  him  $520.  This  second  year 
his  cash  expenses  tnay  be  limited  to  fuel,  groceries,  clothing,  etc.,  say 
$200,  and  he  has  $320  to  improve  his  house  and  add  to  his  stock  and  farm 
implements.  If  he  breaks  fifty  acres  again  this  year,  and  secures  a  crop 
of  1,700  bushels  the  third  year,  the  accomplishment  of  which  depends 
mainly  upon  his  own  industry,  he  will  be  able  to  make  himself  and  family 
comfortable  and  have  a  good  home. 

A  single  man,  or  even  a  man  and  wife,  can  do  well  with  considerably 
less  ready  money,  and  so  can  those  who  have  household  goods,  team,  etc. 
And  such  as  have  more  money  than  the  sum  given  above  will  not  be  un- 
der the  necessity  of  submitting  to  so  many  privations.  Many  families 
are  living  in  this  State  and  are  now  well  off  who  came  here  with  less 
than  three  hundred  dollars.  They,  of  course,  depended  more  largely  on 
earnings  by  working  for  their  neighbors.  Three  things  are  necessary  for 
success  in  any  country.  They  are :  Industry,  Economy,  and  Careful 
Business  Management. 

TITLES  TO  LANDS. 

The  attention  of  readers  living  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  especially, 
is  called  to  the  fact  that  the  title  which  a  settler  acquires  to  lands  in  this 
country  is  in  fee  simple.  It  is  not  a  lease  for  any  term  of  years,  but  per- 
petual ownership,  whether  he  buys  of  the  general  government,  State,  or 
a  railroad  company  The  land  becomes  his  property,  to  hold  during  life 
and  transmit  to  his  heirs,  or  he  may  sell  it.  There  is  no  landlord,  no 
yearly  rent  to  pay,  nor  are  any  church  rates  or  tithings  exacted.  The 
settler's  farm  is  his  private  domain  and  his  house  is  really  his  castle.  He 
is  himself  lord  of  the  manor  and  peer  of  his  fellow-citizens  of  all  classes. 
The  government  cannot  even  make  a  road  through  his  premises  withoul 
paying  him  a  fair  equivalent  for  the  privilege  ;  and  all  the  produce  he 
raises  is  his,  to  sell  for  his  own  benefit  and  that  of  his  family.  Thus  he 
will  understand  that  his  situation  must  be  far  better- than  that  of  a  ten- 
ant to  ever  so  good  a  landlord,  for  he  cannot  be  oppressed  by  increase  of 
rental,  nor  evicted  from  his  home  at  the  whim  of  any  human  being.     He 


MISCELLANEOUS.  29 

becomes  his  own  master  and  hia  own  man  for  life,  and  leaves  this  precious 
legacy  to  his  children. 

MECHANICS  AND  LABORERS. 

In  all  rapidly  developing  countries  there  is  constant  demand  for  skilled 
toechanics  and  intelligent  laborers.  Carpenters,  blacksmiths,  brick  and 
stone-masons  and  house  painters,  especially,  are  sure  of  employment, 
and  laborers  who  can  handle  axe  or  spade,  or  make  a  hand  in  the  harvest 
field  seldom  remain  idle.  If  they  can  also  manage  horses  or  oxen  and  do 
general  farm  work,  they  are  sure  of  having  good  wages  and  plenty  to  do. 
Working  people  of  these  descriptions  may  be  certain  of  finding  equal 
chances  of  employment  in  Minnesota  as  elsewhere,  if  not  better ;  r.nd 
mechanics  skilled  in  other  kinds  of  business  can  form  a  pretty  accurate 
estimate  of  the  probabilities  of  getting  employment  here  by  reading  what 
has  been  said  about  manufactures  in  the  preceding  pnges.  All  sorts  of 
manufactories  here  have  constant  demand  for  their  wares  and  it  must 
follow,  therefore,  that  the  demand  for  skilled  laborers  is  regularly  in- 
creasing. Minnesota  shared  in  the  general  depression  of  business  recently 
experienced,  but  not  to  a  very  severe  degree,  and  even  during  its  con- 
tinuance there  were  few  men  in  the  State  who  could  not  find  suflScient 
employment  for  the  maintenance  of  th&mselves  and  families. 

FISH  CULTURE. 

The  State  provided  several  years  ago  for  the  introduction  of  game  fish 
into  the  lakes  and  streams  and,  under  the  ausiDices  of  the  Commissioners, 
California  salmon  and  lake  salmon  have  been  planted  in  a  large  number 
of  the  lakes,  and  brook  trout  in  many  of  the  streams.  Last  year  the  Com- 
missioners distributed  182,850  young  fish,  chiefly  California  salmon,  and 
kept  on  hand  at  the  State  fisheries  9,400  breeders,  and  eggs  and  young 
fry  enough  to  make  a  total  of  2,260,000  for  distribution  this  season. 
Amongst  these  are  760,000  whitefish.  The  experiments  in  this  line  have 
proved  eminently  successful.  Besides  these  there  are  vast  numbers  of 
native  fish  in  the  waters  of  the  State,  comprising  several  choice  varieties, 
among  which  are  brook  trout,  and  fishing  either  for  pastime  or  to  procure 
food  is  a  remunerative  occupation. 

IMPROVED  LANDS. 

It  frequently  happens  that  owners  of  improved  farms  in  the  oId<w 
counties,  desiring  more  land  for  their  growing  families,  sell  their  farraif 
at  low  prices  and  on  liberal  terms,  and  persons  of  means  who  would  like 
to  settle  in  Minnesota,  but  do  not  wish  to  go  upon  wild  lands,  will  often 
find  opportunities  to  purchase  very  desirable  improved  farms  in  good 
neighborhoods,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  larger  cities  and  towns. 

CATHOLIC  IMMIGRATION. 

The  Catholic  Colonization  Bureau  of  St.  Paul  is  doing  good  service  in 
bringing  immigrants  into  the  State,  and  those  desiring  information  as  to 
its  plan  of  operations  can  obtain  a  pamphlet,  showing  forth 'the  matter 


30  MINNESOTA    IN    1 879. 

very  clearly,  by  addressing:    "  Secretary  of  Catholic  Colonization  BareaU(, 
St.  Paul,  Minnesota." 

POSTAL  FACILITIES. 

Every  part  of  the  State  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  excellent  postal  facili- 
ttes.  Daily  mails  are  received  at  all  the  railway  stations,  and  most  locali- 
ties off  of  these  lines  are  served  twice  a  week, — none  less  frequently 
than  once  a  week.  Daily  papers  from  St.  Paul  are  carried  all  over  the 
State  the  same  day  of  their  publication. 

HOMESTEAD  EXEMPTION. 

Another  advantage  Minnesota  offers  to  the  immigrant  is  the  liberal  l&w 
which  exempts  the  homestead  of  the  citizen  from  seizure  for  debt.  It 
reads  as  follows : 

"That  a  homestead  consisting  of  any  quantity  of  land,  not  exceeding 
eighty  acres,  and  the  dwelling-house  thereon  and  its  appurtenances,  to 
be  selected  by  the  owner  thereof,  and  not  included  in  any  incorporated 
town,  city,  or  village,  or  instead  thereof,  at  the  option  of  the  owner,  a 
quantity  of  land  not  exceeding  in  amount  one  lot,  being  within  an  incor- 
porated town,  city  or  village,  and  the  dwelling-house  thereon,  and  its 
appurtenances,  owned  and  occupied  by  any  resident  of  this  State,  shalS 
not  be  subject  to  attachment,  levy  or  sale,  upon  any  execution  or  any 
other  process  issuing  out  of  any  court  within  this  State.  This  sectioa 
shall  be  deemed  and  construed  to  exempt  such  homestead  in  the  manner 
aforesaid  during  the  time  it  shall  be  occupied  by  the  widow  or  minor 
child  or  children  of  any  deceased  person  who  was,  when  living,  entitled 
to  the  benefits  of  this  act." 

The  same  law  also  exempts  such  personal  property  as  the  Bible,  pictures, 
school  books,  musical  instruments,  church  pew,  cemetery  lot,  weai-ing 
apparel,  beds,  stoves,  and  furniture  not  exceeding  $500  in  value  ;  also  a 
certain  number  of  cows,  sheep,  and  working  team,  with  a  year's  food  for 
the  same  ;  a  wagon,  sleigh,  and  farming  implements  not  exceeding  |10O 
in  value  ;  also  a  year's  supply  of  family  provisions,  or  growing  crops,  and 
seed  grain  not  exceeding  50  bushels  each  of  wheat  and  oats,  6  of  potatoes- 
and  1  of  com,  also  mechanics'  or  miners'  tools,  with  $400  worth  of  stock- 
in-trade,  and  the  library  and  implements  of  professional  men. 

It  frequently  happens  that  necessity  compels  one  to  incur  debt,  and  no 
niivtter  how  well  such  result  may  be  guarded  against,  inability  to  pay  when 
tlie  debt  matures  will  sometimes  be  the  condition  of  the  most  prudent  and 
honest.  Sickness,  accident  to  person  or  property,  or  other  circumstance 
wholly  beyond  the  control  of  the  individual  may  bring  this  about.  Under 
such  circumstances  it  is  gratifying  to  know  that  the  creditor  cannot  take 
from  his  unfortunate  debtor  the  home,  nor  its  fiu-niture  and  convenienCi-s, 
nor  the  food,  stock,  implements,  tools,  etc.,  by  means  of  which  the  debtor 
may  recover  from  the  effect  of  his  losses.  But  far  greater  than  this  is  tiie 
consolation  of  knowing  that  even  should  death  overtake  one  while  labor- 
ing under  such  embarrassment,  the  bereaved  widow  and  children  will  still 
1)6  secure  in  the  possession  of  their  home  and  its  comforts,  and  the  mcanft 
to  gain  a  livelihood. 


UNOCCUPIED    LANDS.  3 1 


UNOCCUPIED  LANDS. 


Of  the  unoccupied  lands  in  Minnesota  nearly  11,000,000  acres  remained 
unsurveyed  on  the  1st  of  January,  1879.  The  title  to  these  is  still  fn  the 
United  States  government,  but  on  their  survey  about  600,000  acres  will 
enure  to  the  State  as  school  lands,  and  a  considerable  further  quantity  as 
Bwamp  lands  and  grants  for  railroads.  Of  the'  surveyed  lands  that  are  yet 
unoccupied  some  3,130,000  acres  still  belong  to  the  United  States  govern- 
ment, about  3,000,000  acres  to  the  State,  nearly  7,000,000  acres  to  railroad 
companies,  and,  perhaps,  500,000  acres  to  private  individuals — making  au 
aggregate  of  about  13,630,000  acres. 

GOVERNMENT  LANDS. 

The  lands  belonging  to  the  United  States  are  divided  among  nine  dis- 
tricts, as  described  hereafter,  with  a  local  land  office  in  each  for  their  dis- 
posal, to-wit : 

1st  District— Thirty  miles  wide  across  the  southern  part  of  the  State, 
taking  all  of  townships  101,  102,  103,  104  and  105.  Office  at  Worthington, 
Mons  Grinager,  Register.  About  10,000  acres  in  western  counties  yet  to 
dispose  of. 

2d  District — All  of  townships  106  to  110  inclusive,  across  the  State  from 
east  to  west.  Othce  at  New  Ulra.  C.  B.  Tyler,  Register.  About  12,000 
acres  in  the  west  end  not  taken. 

3d  District — Towns  111  to  115  inclusive,  across  the  State.  Office  at 
Redwood  Falls.  Wm.  P.  Dunnington,  Register.  About  10,000  acres  un- 
sold. 

4th  District — All  of  townships  116  to  120  inclusive  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  and  of  121  to  124  inclusive,  west  of  range  35.  Office  at  Ben- 
son.    D.  S.  Hall,  Register.     About  65,000  acres  unsold. 

&th  District — All  of  townships  125  to  136  inclusive,  west  of  range  35. 
Office  at  Fergus  Falls.  Soren  Listoe,  Register.  About  220,000  acres  un- 
claimed. 

6th  District — All  north  of  township  136  to  north  line  of  the  State  and 
west  of  range  35.  Office  at  Crookston.  Thomas  Shapleigh,  Register. 
About  l,?0,Odo  acres  unsold. 

7th  District — All  between  the  St.  Croix  and  Mississippi  rivers  south  of 
where  the  latter  is  crossed  by  range  26,  and  thence  northwardly,  all  east  of 
range  26  and  the  east  boundary  of  the  State  to  township  46.  Office  at 
Taylor's  Falls.     J.  P.  Owens,  Register.     About  330,000  acres  not  taken. 

8th  District. — All  north  of  township  45  and  east  of  range  26  to  the 
north  and  east  State  boundaries.  Office  at  Duluth.  R.  C.  Mitchell,  Reg- 
ister.    Some  1,800,000  acres  not  disposed  of. 

9th  District — All  lietween  ranges  35  and  25  and  north  of  township  120 
to  the  British  line.  Office  at  St.  Cloud.  J.  D.  Freeman,  Register.  About 
490,000  acres  to  dispose  of  yet. 

HOW  TO  OBTAIN  THEM. 

Possession  of  government  lands  may  be  acquired  by  purchase  at  public 
or  private  sale,  by  pre-emption  and  subsequent  purchase,  or  by  continued 
occupation  under  the  homestead  and  timber  culture  laws.  The  price  for 
agricultural  lands  is  uniformly  one  doll<ir  and  twenty-five  cents  per  acre  when 
beyond  tiie  limits  of  a  railroad  grant,  or  two  and  a  Tuilf  dollars  per  acrt 
when  within  Buch  limits.  Mineral  lands  have  their  values  fiaed  ty 
appraisal. 


32  MINNESOTA    IN    1879. 

When  public  sales  of  government  lands  are  to  be  made,  notice  is  given 
by  advertisement  and  the  lands  are  offered  at  auction  to  the  highest  bid- 
ders. To  purchase  at  private  sale  the  buyer  goes  to  the  land  office  of  the 
district,  describes  the  tract,  and  pays  the  full  amount  of  purchase  money. 
To  pre-empt  land  that  has  been  offered  at  public  sale,  any  person,  man 
or  woman,  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  who  is,  or  has  declared  his  inten- 
tion to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  must,  within  thirty  days 
after  his  settlement  upon  the  land,  file  a  statement  at  the  local  land  office 
of  the  district,  declaring  his  intention  to  pre-empt  such  land  (not  more 
than  160  acres  being  allowed  to  one  person,)  and  pay  a  fee  of  two  dollars. 
Within  one  year  of  his  settlement  upon  the  land,  he  must  make  proof  of 
his  actual  settlement  upon  and  cultivation  of  the  tract  and  secure  the 
same  by  making  payment  at  the  prices  given  above.  In  case  the  land  has 
not  been  offered  he  has  three  months'  time  in  which  to  file  his  declaratory 
statement  and  thirty  months  before  making  final  payment.  In  case  a 
pre-emptor  dies  during  the  interval  between  settlement  and  payment,  his 
heirs  may  consummate  the  purchase. 

To  obtain  a  homestead,  (the  limit  being  now  160  acres,  whether  within 
or  outside  of  a  railroad  grant,)  the  applicant,  either  man  or  woman,  must 
file  his  application  describing  the  land  at  the  local  land  office,  together 
with  an  affidavit  that  he  is,  or  has  declared  his  intention  to  become  a  citi- 
zen, and  that  he  desires  the  land  for  his  own  occupancy  and  for  that  of 
his  family.  He  must  then  pay  a  commission  of  fom-teen  dollars.  Having 
resided  upon  and  cultivated  a  reasonable  portion  of  the  land  continuously 
for  five  years,  he  must  then,  or  within  two  years  thereafter,  prove  such 
occupation  to  the  district  land  officers  and  pay  a  further  commission  of 
jour  dollars,  when  he  will  obtain  a  complete  title.  In  case  of  death,  acqui- 
sition of  title  may  be  consummated  by  his  heirs. 

Under  the  Timber  Culture  act,  the  party  files  an  application  for  the  land 
and  an  affidavit  that  it  is  for  his  own  use,  paying  fourteen  dollars.  The 
first  year  he  must  plow  one-thirty-second  part,  cultivate  it  the  second 
year  and  plant  it  in  trees  (not  less  than  2,700  to  the  acre)  the  third  year. 
The  second  year  he  must  plow  another  thirty-second  part,  cultivate  it  the 
third  year  and  plant  it  in  trees  the  fourth  year,  2,700  to  the  acre.  Eight 
years  after  filing  application,  upon  proving  that  there  are  at  least  675 
thrifty  trees  on  each  acre  on  a  sixteenth  part  of  the  tract,  he  becomes 
entitled  to  the  land  on  payment  of  a  further  sum  of  four  dollars.  In 
case  of  death,  heirs  can  obtain  the  title. 

STATE  LANDS. 
These  are  scattered  all  over  the  surveyed  portions  of  the  State.  Their 
lowest  price  is  fixed  by  law  at  $5  per  acre  ;  and  they  are  also  separately 
appraised.  They  are  always  sold  at  public  sale  to  the  highest  bidder,  fifteen 
per  cent,  of  the  purchase  money  being  required  in  cash  and  the  remainder 
to  draw  seven  per  cent,  per  year  interest  until  dite  fixed  for  payment  at 
time  of  sale. 

The  railroad  lands  will  be  described  in  subsequent  pages,  to  be  added  in 
the  regular  edition  of  this  pamphlet. 


RAILROAD    LANDS.  33 


RAILROAD  LANDS. 


The  following  descriptions  of  the  lands  of  the  respective  railroad  com- 
panies' named  therein,  and  statements  of  prices  at  and  terms  upon  which 
they  are  offered  for  sale,  are  furnished  by  the  companies.  They  have, 
however,  been  carefully  reviewed,  and  what  is  said  about  the  location, 
surroundings,  fertility,  etc.,  of  the  lands,  may  be  relied  upon  as  fair  and 
unexaggerated  representations.  Parties  desiring  further  information  than 
is  contained  in  these  notices,  have  their  attention  called  to  the  name  and 
address  of  the  land  commissioner  of  the  company,  with  which  each  no- 
tice closes.  These  officers  will  furnish  whatever  further  information  is 
wanted  respecting  the  lands  of  their  companies  to  all  who  apply  to  them. 
The  prices  are  uniformly  low  and  terms  favorable  to  purchasers,  for  the 
companies  are  alive  to  the  fact  that  their  interests  will  be  best  subserved 
by  the  early  settlement  and  cultivation  of  their  lands,  as  they  will  thus 
secure  a  speedy  increase  of  the  business  of  their  roads. 

THE  ST.  PAUL  &  SIOUX  CITY  AND  SIOUX  CITY  &  ST. 
PAUL  PAILROAD  COMPANIES 

Are  offering  for  sale  1,000,000  acres  of  the  choicest  northwestern  farming 
land.  They  are  situated  in  the  loheat  garden  and  Indian  corn  rq/ion  of  South- 
western Minnesota  and  Northwestern  Iowa;  and  are  particularly  desirable 
because  of  the  diversity  of  their  productions,  being  located  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Watonwan,  Martin,  Cottonwood,  Jackson,  Murray,  Nobles,  Pipe- 
stone, and  Rock,  in  Minnesota,  and  Lyon,  Osceola,  Dickinson,  Sioux  and 
O'Brien,  inlowa. 

For  location,  soil,  climate,  and  nearness  to  market,  they  are  unequal- 
leled.  They  produce  per  acre  20  to  40  bushels  of  wheat,  and  40  to  60 
bushels  of  Indian  corn,  and  are  unsurpassed  for  all  small  grain  and  vege- 
tables. The  soil  is  a  deep,  rich,  warm  loam  ;  lakes  and  streams  abound, 
and  natural  "Wue  joint"  meadows  are  found  in  every  locality.  There  is 
no  better  stock  country  in  the  United  States,  and  it  has  the  most  healthy 
climate  in  the  world.  It  is  too  far  north  for  fever  and  ague  and  malarious 
diseases,  and  yet  not  so  far  as  to  be  confined  to  the  production  of  wheat 
only.  Churches,  schools,  mills,  and  thrifty  towns  and  villages  are  estab- 
lished. Special  inducements  offered  to  settlers.  Half  fare  excursion 
tickets  to  land  seekers.  For  full  particulars  address  James  II.  Duake, 
Land  Commissioner,  St.  Paul ;  or  W.  S.  Hall,  Eastern  Agent,  106  Clark 
street,  Chicago. 


J4  MINNESOTA    IN    1879. 


SOUTHERN  MINNESOTA  RAILWAY  COMPANY. 

This  company  is  offering  for  sale  about  340,000  acres  of  the  very  best 
'farming  hinds,  located  in  the  counties  of  Houston,  Fillmore,  Winona, 
Freeborn,  Faribault,  Martin,  Jackson,  Rock,  Pipestone,  and  Lincoln. 
Thej'  are  mostly  imdulating  prairie,  interspersed  with  innumerable  lakes 
of  clear  cool  water,  with  grassy  shores  and  gravelly  bottoms,  and  swarm- 
ing with  edible  fish.  Stueams  abound  throughout  this  region,  and  several 
of  them  are  of  considerable  size,  with  fall  enough  to  furnish  abundant 
water-power  for  all  its  future  needs.  Many  large  flouring  mills  are 
already-  built  upon  them,  and  on  the  line  of  ihe  Southern  Minnesota  l^il- 
way,  affording  a  sure  market  at  all  times  for  the  great  wheat  yield  of  this 
section.  Reference  to  the  accompanying  map,  will  show  that  all  but  two 
of  the  counties  mentioned,  are  traversed  by  railwaj's  now  in  operation, 
with  from  two  to  five  trains  passing  daily,  and  those  two  will  possess 
equally  good  railroad  facilities  before  the  close  of  1S79,  by  the  extension 
of  the  Southern  Minnesota  Railroad  from  Jackson,  through  Pipestone 
county,  into  Dakota.  All  of  these  lands  will  then  be  within  fifteen,  and 
most  of  them  within  ten  miles  of  the  railroad. 

Nearly  all  the  government  land,  and  a  large  share  of  the  railroad  lands 

within  the  above  named  counties,  are  already  occupied  by  settlers,  one 

family  generally  to  each  quarter  section  ;  hence  it  is  not,  in  any  sense,  a 

wild  region,  but  the  advantages  of  society  and  educational  facilities  are 

already  enjoyed.     The  oflicial  statistics  of  the  State,  give  the  following 

^s  its  condition  of  development  last  year  : 

Counties.  Farms.  Acres  Schools.       Scholars. 

Cultivated. 

•Houston 1,777  103,655  94  4,238 

Fillmore 2,593  237,553  173  8,420 

Winona 1,933  146,010  109  6,559 

.Faribault 1,168  67,099  104  3,912 

Freeborn 1,762  109,489  104  4,152 

Martin 605  21,538  55  1,236 

Jackson 587  21,1 '0  31  849 

Rock 571  35,110  16  630 

Murray 257  8,350  14  336 

..Lincoln 257  3,393  4  •  117 

Pipestone  not  having  been  organized,  does  not  appear  in  the  report.  It 
is  safe  to  say,  that  this  entire  district  has  gained  on  the  above  figures  at 
least  twenty  per  cent,  since  that  time,  as  there  has  been,  for  more  than  a 
year  past,  and  continues  to  be  a  heavy  immigration  flowing  in,  for  this  is 
commonly  held  to  be  one  of  the  most  desirable  localities  in  the  Northwest. 
Settlers  find  here  stores,  churches,  schools,  etc.,  already  established,  and 
at  the  railway  stations,  are  markets  for  their  produce,  and  cheap  lumber 
and  fuel  are  brought  in  over  the  railway  lines  in  abundant  quantities.     In 


RAILROAD    LANDS.  35 

short,  all  the  advantages  of  civilization  are  at  hand,  and  it  is  not  surpris- 
ing that  multitudes  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  secure  cheap 
homes  with  such  favorable  surroundings. 

The  quality  of  the  land  for  Agriculture  is  not  surpassed  anywhere,  and 
the  abundant  supply  of  water  and  excellent  natural  meadows,  constitute 
this  one  of  the  best  grazing  districts  in  the  world.  In  1877  its  average 
yield  of  wheat  was  nearly  20  bushels  per  acre,  and  a  number  of  farmers 
reported  yields  from  25  to  33}^  bushels  per  acre,  of  grain  weighing  63  lbs. 
per  bushel.  The  yield  of  corn  throughout  this  section  is  usually  above 
,  the  general  average  of  the  State,  and  no  better  oats,  r3'e,  barley,  potatoes, 
and  vegetables  are  grown. 

The  excellence  of  this  portion  of  the  State  as  a  grazing  country  at- 
tracted attention  of  cattle-growers  several  j'cars  ago,  and  quite  a  number 
of  large  herds  of  neat  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep  are  to  be  found  in  differ- 
ent localities  throughout  its  extent.  The  generally  diffused  and  abundant 
supply  of  good  water,  to  which  access  is  readily  obtainable  at  all  seasons 
of  the  year,  and  the  extensive  natural  meadows  of  nutritious  grass,  afford'- 
ing  abundant  pasturage  in  summer  and  hay  of  superior  quality  for  winter 
feed,  make  it  peculiarly  attractive  for  those  engaged  in  this  branch  of 
agriculture. 

For  similar  reasons  it  has  been  found  desirable  for  dairy  farming,  which, 
business  is  already  carried  on  somewhat  extensively  in  several  neighbor- 
hoods. Ten  cheese  factories  were  in  operation  in  the  above  named  coun- 
ties in  1877,  and  produced  164,322  lbs.  of  cheese ;  and  the  State  Statis- 
tician's report  for  the  same  year,  shows  that  2,376,521  lbs.  of  butter  were 
manufactured  in  them  that  season.  When  it  is  remembered  that  in  most 
of  them  settlements  only  began  to  be  made  within  a  very  few  years,  this 
showing  is  simply  surprising  even  in  a  country  which  has  developed  so 
rapidly  as  the  State  of  Minnesota. 

For  a  prairie  farm  one  cannot  do  better  than  locate  in  Southern  Min- 
nesota; and  it  is  hardly  possible  to  buy  cheaper  lands  than  those  of  this 
company,  where  so  many  advantages  are  at  hand. 

There  are  two  classes  of  these  lands,  to  one  of  whicli  the  company's 
title  is  perfected,  and  which  it  offers  on  the  following  terms: 

The  prices  are  fixed  at  $5  to  $7  per  acre,  and  actual  settlers  depositing 
with  the  company  fifty  cents  per  ctcve  and  agreeing  to  break  thirty  per  cent, 
of  their  land  by  July  15th,  1879,  and  seed  the  same  ingrain  the  next  sea- 
son, or  in  lieu  thereof  to  make  substantial  improvements  of  equal  value, 
■mix  not  be  vequired  to  make  further  payment  until  December  1st,  1880,  and 
interest  mil  commence  at  tTiat  time. 

The  payment  then  required  will  be  one- quarter  of  the  purchase  money 
(few  tlie  fifty  cents  per  acre  previously  deposited)  and  seven  per  cent,  interest 
for  one  year  in  advance  on  the  remainder. 

This  remainder  may  be  divided  in  five  iustallments,  payable  annually 
with  seven  per  cent,  interest. 

This  plan  enables  a  settler  to  raise  and  h<iivat  a  crap  before  any  payinent  w 
required,  and  before  interest  commences. 

Special  discounts  will  be  made  to  parties  desiring  to  buy  for  cash. 


36  MINNESOTA    IN    1 8/9. 

The  sjime  terms  will  doubtless  be  offered  another  year  iii  case  any  of  the 
lamls  remain  unsold. 

To  the  other  class,  known  as  the  lands  of  the  Southern  Minnesota  Kail- 
way  Extension  Company,  the  company's  title  is  not  yet  perfected,  because 
its  road  is  not  yet  completed  to  the  western  boundary  of  the  State,  and 
until  the  lands  are  actually  conveyed  to  it,  it  cannot  give  deeds  to  settlers. 
But  in  the  very  improbable  event  of  the  company's  failure  to  acquire  a 
title  to  these  lands  tlie  settlers  can  have  nothing  to  fear,  inasmuch  as  t^e 
lands  would,  in  that  case,  be  retained  by  the  United  States  government, 
and  those  who  had  settled  upon  them  could  secure  them  by  entries  under 
the  homestead  or  pre-emption  laws.  In  order  that  their  settlement  may 
not  be  delayed,  the  railroad  company  issues  permits  to  parties  desiring  to 
locate  upon  and  improve  them,  which  entitle  the  holders  to  the  lands  from 
the  company,  when  it  secures  its  title  from  the^United  States,  on  the  con- 
dition that  they  shall  in  good  faith  commence  improvements  at  once,  and  put 
under  cultivation,  toithin  twelve  montlis  from  the  date  of  the  permit,  at  least 
forty  per  cent,  of  the  land^  taken,  and  shall  within  sixty  days  after  receiving 
notice  from  the  Land  Commissioner  of  the  Company  that  the  company  has 
secured  title  to  and  is  read}"  to  make  a  formal  contract  of  sale  or  deed  of 
the  lands,  make  such  paj'ments  as  may  then  be  due  on  the  lands  and  execute 
contracts  or  notes  and  mortgages  to  secure  the  deferred  payments  as  is  ox- 
plained  in  what  follows. 

The  price  fixed  is  from  $6  to  $7  per  acre,  according  to  location,  and  pay- 
ments will,  as  a  rule,  be  required  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  per  acre  per  an- 
num, with  interest  on  deferred  payments  at  the  rate  of  seven  per  cent,  per 
annum,  payable  annually,  but  no  payment  of  principal  or  interest  will  bo 
required  until  the  company  is  able  to  convey  the  lands  by  warranty  deeds. 

Special  credits  icill  be  given  as  follotcs :  For  all  lands  broken  by  the  IPth 
day  of  July  inst.,  after  permit,  a  credit  at  the  rate  of  $2.50  per  acre  of 
land  broken.  For  all  additional  lands  broken  by  the  15th  day  of  July  of 
the  next  succeeding  year  a  credit  at  the  rate  of  $1.50  per  acre  of  the  land 
so  broken.  These  credits  will  be  applied,  as  far  as  they  will  go,  on  the 
first  payments  due  on  the  lands,  principal  and  interest. 

Right  of  way  and  the  necessary  additionlil  ground  for  the  erection  of 
screens  for  protection  against  snoAv  will  be  reserved  for  the  Southern  Min- 
nesota Railway  Extension  Company. 

Persons  buying  lands  of  the  first  class  mentioned,  or  taking  the  other 
class  under  permits,  are,  with  their  wives  and  children,  carried  free  over 
the  Southern  Minnesota  Railway,  from  any  point  on  its  line„Avhen  going 
to  settle  on  their  lands,  and  greatly  reduced  rates  are  given  on  their  house- 
hold goods,  farming  implements  and  live  stock  when  moving  on  to  their 
lands.  Parties  seeking  lands  can  procure  "Land  Hunters'  Tickets,"  en- 
titling them  to  a  return  of  the  fare  paid  oa  this  road,  in  case  they  purchase 
laud  of  the  company. 

Rates  of  fare  and  freight  on  household  goods,  etc.,  from  any  part  of  the 
country  to  any  point  on  the  line  of  this  road,  and  all  further  information 
respecting  the  lands  will  be  furnished  on  application  to  Maiishall  Conant, 
Land  Commissioner,  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin. 


RAILROAD    LANDS.  3/ 


JESUP,  a:AMES  AND  ROOSEVELT  LANDS. 

These  are  of  the  lands  granted  to  the  Southern  Minnesota  Railroad 
Company,  and  were  conveyed  by  that  corporation  to  Messrs.  M.  K.  Jesup, 
D.  Willis  James,  and  James  A..  Roosevelt,  of  JSTew  York,  -who  now  offer 
them  for  sale  on  exceedingly  advantageous  terms.  They  comprise 
100,000  acres  in  the  counties  of  Houston,  Freeborn,  Faribault,  Martin, 
Jackson,  Murray,  Rock,  Pipestone,  Cottonwood,  Lyon,  Redwood,  Brown 
and  Blue  Earth,  and  a  considerable  proportion  are  in  thickly  settled 
neigkboi  hoods.  EiCept  those  in  Pipestone  and  Murray  counties,  they 
are  all  within  short  distances  of  railways  over  which  a  number  of  trains 
pass  daily,  aud  before  the  close  of  this  year  those  in  the  two  counties 
excepted,  will  have  the  same  advantage  of  nearness  to  railroads. 

The  description  given  in  preceding  pages  of  the  lands  of  the  Southern 
Minnesota  Company  will  apply  to  these,  which  are  for  the  most  part  lo- 
cated in  t)ie  same  counties.  Those  that  are  not  in  counties  named  in  that 
article  have  the  same  natural  characteristics  and  are  equally,  as  well  or 
better  off  as  to  advantages  arising  from  development  of  the  country,  such 
as  schools,  churches,  railroads,  markets,  stores,  &c. 

The  fertility  and  enduring  quality  of  the  soil  of  this  entire  region,  and 
its  adaptation  to  the  cultivation  of  wheat,  oats,  corn,  barley,  rye,  etc., 
cannot  be  questioned.  The  average  yield  of  wheat  in  all  these  counties 
frequently  exceeds  20  bushels  per  acre,  and  skillful  farmers  often  obtain 
considerably  more.  Oats  average  from  30  to  45  bushels,  and  the  yield  of 
corn  is  always  large  while  the  crop  matures  well. 

These  lands  have  been  recently  carefully  examined  and  appraised  at 
values  varying  from  $4  to  $10  per  acre,  reference  being  had  almost  wholly 
to  their  locations;  only  a  few  pieces  are  marked  at  the  higher  figure,  be- 
cause of  the  desirableness  of  the  neighborhoods  in  which  they  are  situated. 
The  usual  valuations  are  $4.50  and  $5  per  acre.  Arrangements  are  now 
made  for  disposing  of  them  on  a  similar  plan  to  that  pursued  by  the  State 
in  sales  of  its  school  lands,  and  they  will  hereafter  be  offered  at  public 
sale  in  May  and  October  of  each  year  by  Hon.  O.  P.  Whitcomb,  State 
Auditor,  until  they  are  all  sold. 

Agents  in  the  several  counties  where  they  are  located,  will  afford  facili- 
ties for  examining  amd  ascertaining  the  appraised  value  of  each  tract,  and 
give  other  information  required. 

The  lands  Avill  be  sold  in  large  or  small  1,^-acts  to  suit  purchasers.  Terms 
of  payment  are  15  per  cent,  of  purchase  money  cash;  remainder  in  fifteen 
years,  with  interest  at  rate  of  7  per  cent.,  payable  annually  in  advance,, 
either  in  June  or  November.  The  purchaser  has  the  option,  however,  of 
making  the  entire  payment  in  cash,  which  will  entitle  hina  to  12}4  per 
cent,  discount ;  or  he  may  pay  any  part  of  the  principal  before  it  falls 
due. 

Apply  for  further  information  to  J.  C.  Easton,  General  Agent,  Lanes- 
boro,  Minnesota.  * 


38  MINNESOTA    IN    1 879. 


ST.  PAUL  «fe  PACIFIC  RAILROAD. 

This  is  the  Pioneer  Railroad  of  Minnesota,  and  embraces  within  its 
lines  portions  of  the  Upper  Mississippi,  the  whole  of  the  fertile  Sauk 
Valley,  the  Park  region  of  Minnesota,  (the  Big  Woods,)  the  rich  farming 
and  graziug  lands  w  est  of  the  Big  Woods  and  midway  between  the  Min- 
nesota and  Mississippi  Rivers,  and  finally  the  famous  and  unsurpassed 
Valley  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  from  Breckenridge,  Minnesota,  to 
Winnipeg,  Manitoba,  nearly  three  hundred  miles  in  length  and  from 
twenty  to  fifty  miles  in  breadth. 

Over  its  Main  Line  passes  the  commerce  of  Central,  Western  and 
Northwestern  Minnesota,  N  ortheastern  Dakota,  Manitoba,  and  British 
America,  and  it  is  the  only  outlet  of  the  Great  Canada-Pacific  Railway. 

The  Branch  Line  is  scarcely  less  important,  being  the  natural  outlet  of 
the  Upper  Mississippi,  the  Sauk  Valley  and  Otter  Tail  Countries,  with  nu- 
merous large  water  powers,  where  large  manufacturing  interests  will 
develep. 

The  fertility  of  this  entire  region,  and  its  peculiar  fitness  for  the  pro- 
duction of  wheat,  oats,  corn,  rye,  barley,  potatoes,  garden  vegetables, 
etc.  J  is  demonstrated  beyond  question.  It  certainly  is  not  excelled  as  an 
agricultural  district,  by  any  country,  and  is  equalled  by  few.  Besides 
this,  it  has  the  further  attractio  ns  of  being  near  timber,  and  already  in  the 
enjoyment  of  commercial,  social  and  educational  facilities.  The  greater 
part  of  it  is  justly  celebrated  as  a  grazing  country  and  for  the  advantaged 
it  affords  for  dair}-  farming. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  that  no  better  oppor- 
tunities exist  for  all  classes  and  conditions  of  people  to  better  themselves 
than  are  found  in  the  country  tributary  to  this  company's  lines. 

Homestead  lands,  tree  claim  lands,  and  railroad  lands,  conveniently 
located  to  railroads  already  built  and  in  operation,  at  prices  to  meet  the 
wants  of  every  class.  To  encourage  speedy  settlement  and  cultivation 
of  the  railroad  lands,  the  company  will  discount  to  purchasers  on  their 
time  payments,  about  one-half  the  purchase  money  on  ail  lands  broken 
up. 

To  the  tourist,  sportsman  and  health  seeker,  the  pure  and  life-renewing 
atmosphere,  the  beautiful  lakes  and  streams,  and  the  wood  lands  offer  an 
inviting  field.  Many  of  the  streuras  afford  splendid  trout  fishing,  and 
white  fish,  pike,  pickerel,  black  bass,  etc.,  are  caught  'in  most  of  the 
lakes  and  larger  creeks  and  livers. 

For  particulars  apply  to  D.  A.  McKlnlav,  Land  Commissioner,  tit. 
Paul,  Minn, 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS.  39 


OTHER  RAILROAD  LANDS. 

Besides  the  foregoing,  the  St.  Pciul  &  Duluth  Railroad  Company, 
Philips.  Harris,  St.  Paul,  Land  Commissioner;  the  Hastings  &  Dakota, 
Geo.  E.  Skinner,  Faribault,  Minnesota,  Land  Commissioner;  the  St.  Paul, 
Stillwater  &  Tajior's  Falls,  F.  Chri3t<msen,  Minneapolis,  Land  Agent; 
the  Northern  Pacific,  James  B.  Powers,  St.  Paul,  Land  Commissroner; 
and  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern,  Chas.  E.  Simmons,  Chicago,  111.,  Land 
Commissioner,  all  have  considerable  quantities  of  excellent  farming 
lands  for  sale.  It  was  expected  that  they  would  publish  descriptions 
thereof  in  these  pages,  but  they  have  thought  proper  not  to  do  so. 
This  determination  is  especially  regretted  for  the  reason  that,  by  doing 
otherwise  than  they  have,  they  would  have  contributed  to  include  in  the 
pamphlet  descriptions  of  the  several  sections  of  the  State  in  which  their 
lands  are  located,  which  would  have  involved  descriptions  of  all  portions 
of  its  surveyed  area. 

The  eastern  part  of  the  State,  between  the  Mississippi  and  St.  Croix 
rivers,  in  which  the  lands  of  the  St.  Paul  &  Duluth  Company  are  situated, 
hrs  not  had  public  attention  called  to  it,  although  it  embraces  con- 
siderable areas  of  good  farming  land  and  large  bodies  of  hard  wood 
timber.  So,  likewise,  is  there  a  fair  proportion  of  good  farming  land  in 
the  northern  and  northeastern  counties,  which  will  no  doubt  be  found 
capable  of  supporting  a  large  population  in  future,  when  the  more  at- 
tractive and  more  easily  subdued  prairie  lands  are  all  occupied.  These 
districts  have  labored  under  the  disadvantage  of  rivalry  with  the  prairie 
counties,  but  they  have,  notwithstanding,  attracted  considerable  popula- 
tion, v^'hich  is  being  augmented  every  year  by  an  iucreased  per  cent^ge  of  • 
immigration. 

'  CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  write  a  description  of  a  tjrritory  as  extensive 
as  the  State  of  Minnesota,  that  will  convey  to  the  reader  a  reasonably  cor- 
rect idea  of  the  country,  even  when  the  space  is  not  limited ;  but  when 
it  becomes  necessary  to  condense  this  information  into  forty  or  less  octavo 
pages,  the  task  is  rea.\\y  hard  to  accomplish.  Many  features  that  may  ap- 
pear sufficiently  prominent  to  merit  notice  have  necessarily  to  be  ignored, 
and  some  which  ought  to  be  mentioned  may  be  accidentally  overlooked  by 
reason  of  the  vast  multitude  of  topics  presented  to  the  mind  of  the  writer. 
In  preparing  this  work,  the  purpose  has  been  only  to  enable  the  reader 
to  determine  for  himself  whether  this  State  possesses  those  peculiar  char- 
acteristics which  are  likely  to  make  it  a  desirable  place  of  residence,  and 
the  description  of  the  country  which  it  essays  to  convey,  proceeds  no  far- 
ther. There  was  no  intention  to  enter  into  details,  because  the  space 
forbade;  nor  was  it  desirable  to  do  anything  of  the  sort,  Jis  that  would 
involve  the  publication  of  a  document  altogether  too  voluminous  for  the 
use  which  this  is  intended  to  serve. 

Pains  have  been  taken  to  support  the  assertions,  by  evidence  suffi- 
ciently convincing,  that  the  soil  of  Minnesota  is  exceedingly  fertile 
througluiut  almost  its  entire  area;  that  wheat,  corn,  oats,  rye,  barley, 
potatoes,  flax,  hemp,  amber  sugar  cane,  melons,  beans,  peas",  cabbage, 
lettuce,  and  nearly  all  varieties  of  vegetables  cultivated  in  the  middle 
States  of  the  United  States  or  in  any  part  of  Europe,  except  in  those 
countries  bordering  on  the  Meliterranean  sea,  are  gr-^wu  liere  in  equal  per- 
fection with  and  generally  superior,  both  as  to  yield  and  quality,  to  those 
produced  elsewhere;  that  apples,  plums,  gmpcs,  strawberries,  and  nearly 


40  MINNESOTA   IN    1879. 

all  varieties  of  small  fruits  are  raised  here  in  abundant  quantitifes,  and  of 
superior  qualiU".  [It  may  be  as  well  to  remark  in  tliis  place,  that  a  mis- 
take occurs  on  page  21,  in  giving  the  number  of  bushels  of  apples  pro- 
duced in  the  State  in  1877,  at  15,736  bushels.  The  quantity  was  45,736 
bushels.]  The  superiority  of  the  Slate  for  raising  stock  and  for  daiiy 
farming,  etc.,  is  also  set  foith  and  supported  by  statistics.  All  this  should 
satisfy  agriculturists  that  it  is  well  adapted  to  the  pursuit  of  their  calling, 
in  all  its  various  branches. 

The  statistics  given  as  to  the  development  of  its  manufactures  are 
enough  to  satisfy  reasonable  people  of  its  adaptation  to  this  department 
of  industry.  Is  it  probable,  think  you,  that  452  flouring  mills  would  be 
built  in  a  State,  the  settlement  of  which  was  only  begun  about  twenty- 
live  years  ago,  unless  there  were  chesxply  available  power  to  operate  them, 
abundance  of  wheat  for  them  to  grind,  and  a  greater  than  ordinarj'  demand 
for  the  flour  of  their  manufacture?  And  such  development  of  any  branch 
of  industry  becomes  far  more  wonderful  when  it  is  considered  that  a  huge 
Humber  of  these  mills  are  very  extensive  and  of  such  superior  construc- 
tion, that  they  excite  the  astonishment  of  persons  who  visit  the  State 
from  localities  that  have  been  settled  for  hundreds  of  years,  and  where 
they  have  mills  which  are  deservedly  boasted  of,  because  of  their  capacity 
and  architectural  excellence.  TJie  multitude  of  saw  and  planing  mills 
and  other  establishments  for  manufactures  of  wood,  show  that  the  power 
to  operate  them,  tlie  piaterial  to  work  up,  and  the  demand  for  their  pro- 
ducts, must  exist,  otherwise  the_v  would  not  have  been  built.  So,  too, 
with  the  other  manufactories  mentioned. 

The  map  shows  that  the  State  has  commercial  advantages  which  can 
hardly  be  excelled,  and  the  number  and  extent  of  her  railways  is  evidence 
that  there  are  vast  supplies  of  produce  to  carry  hence  to  the  markets  of 
the  world,  and  a  demand  for,  and  the  means  with  which  to  purchase  great 
quantities  of  commodities  brought  hither  from  other  localities,  for  con- 
sumption within  her  borders;  and  that  there  is  excellent  reason  for  be- 
lieving that  all  these  occasions  and  opportunities  for  transportation  will 
continue  to  be  needed.  The  extension  of  these  lines,  north,  west,  and 
south,  is  strong  testimony,  inoreover,  that  the  countries  lying  contiguous 
to  Minnesota,  in  these  directions,  are,  or  are  soon  likely  to  become,  pro- 
ductive regions,  requiring  commercial  facilities.  Capitalists  do  not  put 
money  in  such  enterprises  uow-a-days,  imless  there  is  sufficient  reason  to 
believe  that  the  investments  will  soon  become  profitable. 

The  existence  within  the  State  of  some  5,000  lakes,  covering  areas  re- 
spectively of  from  40  to  130,000  acres,  of  four  navigable  rivers  and  of  an 
infinite  number  of  smaller  rivers,  creeks,  brooks,  etc.,  proves  that  the 
region  is  well  watered,  and  the  descent  which  it  is  necessary  for  most  of 
these  streams  to  make  from  the  elevated  table  lands  to  the  level  of  Lake 
Superior  and  the  Mississippi  Kiver  at  St.  Paul,  corroborates  the  assertion 
that  immense  water-powers  are  diffused  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  State. 

The  extraoidinary  development  of  this  country,  the  fact  that  its  popu- 
lation has  increased  about  ten-fold  in  twenty-one  years;  and  the  circum- 
stance that  very  few  pei-sons  who  immigrate  hither,  ever  leave  because  of 
dissatisfaction,  show  that  it  must  be  a  desirable  country  to  live  in.  That 
it  is  not  too  cold  for  comfort,  and  that  it  is  more  than  ordinarily  healthy,  is 
demonstrated  by  the  statistics  presented  on  page  27. 

Such  is  the  country  to  which  this  pamphlet  invites  the  attention  of 
those  proposing  to  emigrate,  and  if  it  shall  be  the  means  of  contributing 
to  direct  their  steps  to  a  land  where  they  may  find  a  good  home,  surround 
themselves  with  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  life,  and  live  contented  and 
happy,  it  will  have  accomplished  its  mission. 

J^"For  further  information  address  H.  H.  Youxo,  Secretary  State 
Board  of  Immigration,  St.  Paul,  iMinne.sota. 


Cost  of  Coming  to  Minnesota; 


Immigrants  should  procure    Tickets  and  cojitract  for  the 

carriage  of  Extra  Baggage  through   to   their 

ultimate  Destination,  if  possible. 


EUROPEAN 
Emigrant  Rates  of  Passage  to  St.   Paul,  from 


Berlin 

Leipzig 

Dresden 

Hanover 

Bremen  or  Hamburg 

Stettin 

Danzig 

Konigsburg,  Prussia 

Copenliagen 

Christiania 

Gotlienburg,  Sweden 

London  

Queenstown,  Ireland ...'.... 

Liverpool 

(100  lbs. 


$56  00 
56  30 
59  70 
54  75 
54  00 
56  80 

58  55 

59  25 
54  00 
54  00 
54  00 
54  00 
50  50 
50  50 

baggage 


Rome,  Italy $6S  50 

Naples,  Italy 7150 

Paris 54  50 

Antwerp 45  50 

jNIagdeburg,  Prussia 54  65 

Cassel  55  70 

Cologne 58  05 

Trier * 60  05 

Basel,  Switzerland 51  90 

Zurich 53 

E'rankfort  on  the  Main 51 

Prague,  Bohemia 60 

Vienna 61 

Pesth,  Hungary 65 

allowed  to  each.) 


AMERICAN    RATES. 


first-class    rates,   from    which    emi- 
reductions   of  from   33^  to  50  per 


The  following  are 
grants  commonly  get 
cent.  They  also  get  reduced  rates  on  baggage.  Make 
a  bargain  always  at  the  Railway  Station  nearest  your 
starting  point. 

TO  ST.   PAUL,   FKOM 


New  York 

Boston,  Mass. 

Baltimore,  Md 

Philadelphia 

Buffalo,  N.  Y 

Cleveland,  O 

Cincinnati,  O.,  steamboat. .  . 

Detroit,  Mich 

Toronto,  Canada 

Memphis,  Tenn.,  steamboat. 
Davenport,  la.,  " 


$37  25 
40  25 
35  25 
35  25 
29  25 
23  25 
18  00 
23  25 
35  00 
22  10 
6  50 


Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  steamboat..  $28  00 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,            «        ..  8  00 

Omaha,  Neb 14  70 

Sioux  Citv,  la 10  80 

Chicago,  In 15  25 

Milwaukee,  Wis 12  25 

Davenport,  la 9  90 

Madison,  Wis 10  65 

Des  Moines,  la 11  30 

La  Crosse,  Wis 5  35 

"        "       steamboat.  . .  2  75 


The  local  rates  within  this  State  are  generally  four  cents  per  mile,  and 
half  fare  to  immigrants.     But  special  rates  are  given  on  all  the  roads  to 
immigrants  for  fare  and  baggage  or  freight,  on  application  to  the  agents. 
^^  For  further  information,  address — 

H.    H.    YOUNG, 
Secretary  State  Board  of  Immigration, 

St.  Paul,  Minn. 


■  (^ ' 


\ 


I  *  < 


J  > 


DtlSCRIPTldN  OF  MINNESOTA 


FOR 


GRATUITOUS    DISTRIBUTION, 

FREE  OF  POSTAG-E. 


Those  who  receive  this  Pamphlet  are  requested  to  read 
and  pass  it  to  their  neighbors;  and  likewise  to  send  to 
this  office  names  and  post-office  addresses  of  all  whom 
they  think  ought  to  read  it.      Address, 

H.  H.  YOUNG-, 

Secretary  State  Board  of  Immigration, 

ST.  PAUL,  MINN 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOISURBANA 


3  0112  000920097 


W 


